What's On
What's on at The Brunton
The weather is heating up and so is The Brunton’s programme in Musselburgh, Tranent and Haddington this June.
From the director of The Full Monty, and based on a true story, join us at Loretto Theatre to watch Oscar nominee Steve Coogan in this poignant dramedy as it follows an Englishman’s personal and political awakening after he adopts a penguin during a cataclysmic period in Argentine history.
Tennessee Williams’ timeless masterpiece comes to Loretto Theatre this June. Gillian Anderson, Vanessa Kirby, and Ben Foster lead the cast of one of the most critically acclaimed plays of the 20th century. From visionary director Benedict Andrews, this acclaimed production was filmed live during a sold-out run in London.
Over at Northesk Parish Church, Pop-up Opera celebrates opera on a miniature scale with Gilbert & Sullivan comedies. Packed with screwball humour, memorable characters, and, of course, incredible vocals – these short operas are perfect for audiences of all ages!
Amiri Harewood is an exciting young classical pianist who will be bringing his talents to The Brunton’s Lunchtime Recitals. Our Lunchtime Recitals include established and emerging, prizewinning performers with sparkling programmes of music, specially selected for you to enjoy.
Following two extremely successful performances in East Lothian earlier in the year, The Maxwell Quartet returns with a very special programme of music by Haydn at The Fraser Centre. The Maxwells bring together classical and folk music, believing that the string quartet is the ultimate place for the two styles to co-exist.
In Haddington, The Brunton and Haddstock have partnered to produce a series of concerts at the Corn Exchange in 2025 – 2026, the first of which is Rachel Sermanni, Sermanni is a Scottish-based singer/songwriter, brimming with dreamy indie-folk pop goodness. She is supported by Wayward Jane and Rosana Lyall, a student at Knox Academy. Roseanna is opening the concert as part of an opportunity provided by ELJam (East Lothian Youth Music Forum) and Haddstock. Rosanna's singing career started at Haddstock in 2023. She plays solo at the Fraser Centre Sessions, at Knox Academy concerts audiences and in March played the lead in We Will Rock You at The Brunton (Loretto Theatre).
ABBAMANIA returns to the Corn Exchange this June. Get ready to dance, jive and have the time of your life! ABBAMANIA’s widely acclaimed tribute to Abba is a sensational two hour show featuring all your favourite record breaking and timeless hits.
Calling all true crime lovers! Join The Brunton for a chilling, thrilling night at the theatre as Colin, ex-head of a Metropolitan Police murder squad, tells stories of how he caught some of the UK’s most evil murderers.
AFTER ALL, from choreographer Solène Weinachte, is a celebration of our vulnerable and courageous existence using dance, theatre, storytelling, and comedy to ask: how do we deal with the end? AFTER ALL is a hopeful attempt to conjure a better sort of space for us to be with loss and collectively contemplate the finite nature of our lives.
BEYOND AFTER ALL is a discussion open to anyone, regardless of whether you attended the performance the previous evening or not, to share any experiences, feelings or questions around death.
Direct from London’s Adelphi Theatre – celebrate the music that has charmed six generations with all things Diamond, in a sensational live show. Starring Gary Ryan, as seen on Stars in Their Eyes!
Finally, The Brunton is delighted to announce that Perthshire farmer and legendary agriculture comedian Jim Smith will be joining the evenings comedy line-up as the new headliner (previously Milton Jones). Expect an evening of unforgettable comedy featuring a line-up so good, even your funny bone will get jealous.
Warning: side effects may include sore cheeks and accidental snorts.
What's on in our museums
New Exhibitions
The Art of Balance in Nature
Exhibition as part of the European Land Art Festival & Stone Stacking Championships 2025.
11 June to 27 July
John Muir’s Birthplace, High Street, Dunbar, EH42 1JJ.
Far from the 'Floating World' an exhibition by Kenneth Wilson
16 May to 22 June
Dunbar Town House Museum and Gallery, High Street, Dunbar EH42 1ER.
Following where the rocks lead; permanence and change. Paintings, prints and sculpture influenced by geology.
Exhibitions - James Burnet Munro (1925 – 1990)
James (Jim) Burnet Munro was a noted Artist, Sculptor, Musician and Educator who was born and brought up in Fisherrow.
Two exhibitions - one in the John Gray Centre and one in the Musselburgh Museum - shine a light on his talents and legacy.
Creative Journey - A Hundred Years of Family Creativity
15 May to 16 August
John Gray Centre (Museum) 15 Lodge Street, Haddington, EH41 3DX.
An exhibition celebrating James' centenary, eight artists from his extended family present paintings, music, sculpture, prints, photography and film from their own diverse creative practices alongside James' work. Each of the artists was trained and some have worked at Edinburgh College of Art from the 1930s to 2025.
James Burnet Munro, Nancy Munro Curran, Alex Munro, Kenny Munro, Gordon Munro, Sheena Watson, Jane Hyslop, Kerry Watson and Rosalind Thomson.
A public trail accompanies the exhibition. www.jamesbmunroartist.co.uk
The Jim Munro Combo
Musselburgh Museum’s current exhibition also commerorates James through his music.
The American jazz music scene of the 1940s heavily influenced the music making and bands in which he played. The Jim Munro Combo was recorded by Tom Renouf in Musselburgh, Scotland in 1958. Jim picked some of Scotland's top musicians to play in his combo, in and around Edinburgh and Musselburgh.
Exhibition runs until 14 June. Open 10.30am – 4pm Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Musselburgh Museum, 65 High St, Musselburgh EH21 7BZ.
Events
Wee Wednesdays
Prestongrange Museum, Morrison’s Haven, Prestonpans, EH32 9RX.
Wednesday mornings at Prestongrange Museum, 10 to 10.30am, Bookbug for 0 to 5s and their parents/carers, no charge. Followed by craft activity, £1 per child.
East Lothian Council Museums:
15 Lodge Street, Haddington, EH41 3DX
Thursday and Friday 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm
Saturday 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm
126 High Street, Dunbar, EH42 1JJ
Wednesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm
Sunday 1pm to 5pm
High Street, Dunbar, EH42 1ER
Wednesday to Sunday 1pm to 5pm
(from Wednesday 2 April to Sunday 28 September)
Morrison’s Haven, Prestonpans, EH32 9RX
Wednesday to Sunday 11am to 4.30pm
(from Wednesday 2 April to Sunday 28 September)
School Road, North Berwick, EH39 4JU
Wednesday to Saturday 11am to 4pm
(from Wednesday 9 April to Saturday 25 October)
65 High St, Musselburgh EH21 7BZ
Thursday to Saturday 10.30am to 4pm
(from Thursday 3 April to Saturday 27 September)
Summer arts market: Saturday 28 June
Join our Arts Service as they are hosting a Summer Arts Market with The Brunton at the Corn Exchange in Haddington on Saturday 28 June from 11am to 4pm.
This is the perfect opportunity to support local creatives who will be selling arts, crafts, ceramics, glass, jewellery, textiles, and more! Browse a variety of stalls, and perhaps make some purchases!
Haddington Farmers Market will also be running, so there will be lots to enjoy in the area.
Entry to the Summer Arts Market is free – so pop by any time between 11am and 4pm.
Step into the Story Garden this summer with East Lothian libraries!
Celebrate stories, adventure, and the great outdoors in East Lothian Libraries this summer with the 2025 Summer Reading Challenge: Story Garden, from Saturday 21 June to Saturday 23 August.
The Reading Agency’s annual Summer Reading Challenge encourages children ages 4 to 11 to read for fun and happens in libraries across the country every summer.
This summer, your local library invites you to step into the magical world of Story Garden, the 2025 Summer Reading Challenge theme. With stunning artwork by illustrator Dapo Adeola, children will uncover stories that celebrate the great outdoors and the power of imagination.
Why the Summer Reading Challenge?
Research shows that only one in three children and young people now enjoy reading, a 33% drop since 2005. One in four children in the UK cannot read well by age 11.
There’s good news though! Research also shows that reading for pleasure is the single biggest indicator of a child’s future success, plus has amazing benefits for mental wellbeing and self esteem.
With incentives to collect and plenty of brilliant books to enjoy, the Summer Reading Challenge is the perfect summer activity to build young readers’ skills and confidence during the summer break, and keep them on track to grow into lifelong readers.
Okay, I’m in! How do I participate?
It’s simple: children can visit any East Lothian library to sign up for the Challenge and start by taking your first book. The goal is to read any six library books over the summer. You can collect stickers along the way; every finisher receives a certificate and is entered into a prize draw.
We have lots of free and fun events in libraries over the summer holidays to help celebrate nature, the outdoors, and – of course – books! Visit our website for more information.
Celebrate Story Garden with local author Tom Nicoll
Join us at Musselburgh Library on Friday 20 June 2.30pm to 4pm to help us launch the 2025 Summer Reading Challenge. We’ll be joined by local children’s author Tom Nicoll and the Musselburgh Library Junior Gardening Club. Sign up for the Summer Reading Challenge and receive your very own sunflower seedling to grow over the summer (while supplies last). Contact Musselburgh Library for more details.
We can’t wait to grow some stories with you this summer in East Lothian Libraries. For more information, please contact your local library.
Brunton £10 ticket offer for council colleagues
After All
Thu 19 June, Corn Exchange Haddington
7:30pm
*Edinburgh Fringe Sell Out Show 2023*
After All, from choreographer Solène Weinachter, is a celebration of our vulnerable and courageous existence.
In this beautiful and moving performance, Solène melds dance, comedy, storytelling, and theatre to ask
- what happens in the end?
By exploring various funeral rites, ones we have, ones we have lost, and those yet to be invented, Solène confronts our transition between worlds head-on.
"Bursting with vitality" ★★★★ The Times
"Confidently warm and funny" ★★★★ The Guardian
Recommended for ages 12 plus, themes of death, dying and loss
Running time 1 hour
A limited number of £10 tickets*
Book online https://www.thebrunton.co.uk/whats-on/after-all/
*On the basket page input the code Inform1906 at the ‘Redeem Promocode' prompt.
Box Office 0131 653 5245
Bats, birds, moths and minibeasts: countryside family summer activities
Our Countryside Rangers are holding a series of fun events across the summer to help families explore our beautiful coast and countryside.
Find out more about moths and minibeasts, explore Dunbar Castle and the cliffs to learn about the Kittiwakes and their young chicks who call the area home, ramble through rockpools and dip in rivers and even join a nightwalk to see if you can spot some bats!
Activities are aimed at families with children age 5+ however younger siblings may attend for free. Children must be supervised by an adult at all times, therefore spaces must be booked for both adults and children attending.
Please contact our Countryside Rangers if you have any questions: ranger@eastlothian.gov.uk