🎄 SHOWS TO SEE THIS CHRISTMAS 🎄
DUCK POND★★★★Royal Festival Hall
DUCK POND Royal Festival Hall ★★★★ “It is a wonder, without a doubt, and delightfully potty” Australian company Circa has intertwined the myths of Swan Lake and The Ugly Duckling to create a muscular and gasp-inducing circus ballet that is rich in both beauty and spectacle. “D-u-c-k!” one is tempted
A CHRISTMAS CAROL★★★★★Old Vic
A CHRISTMAS CAROL at the Old Vic ★★★★★ “an evening of pure magic” You could argue (and many people do) that the run up to Christmas gets earlier and earlier each year. No sooner have the pumpkins rotted and the fake cobwebs blown away from the city’s hedgerows, than the
SLAVA’S SNOWSHOW★★★★Harold Pinter Theatre
SLAVA’S SNOWSHOW Harold Pinter Theatre ★★★★ “funny and innocent theatre” If you are looking for the most delightful, happy Festive show for everyone to enjoy then look no further – Slava’s Snow Show has arrived at the Harold Pinter Theatre, in a welcome return to the West End. Asissai the
LA CLIQUE★★★★Christmas in Leicester Square
LA CLIQUE at Christmas in Leicester Square ★★★★ “the perfect Christmas treat” It was twenty years ago today (well, give or take a couple of months) that David Bates unveiled his alternative cabaret show at the Edinburgh Festival. Although it has grown in stature and reputation over the years it
POTTED PANTO★★★★★Wilton’s Music Hall
POTTED PANTO Wilton’s Music Hall ★★★★★ “This is the only panto you’ll ever need. It’s the festive season in a nutshell.” If you are a pantomime completist, you can easily knock off a handy six – or is it seven? – in one night at Wilton’s Music Hall and have
PERKY NATIVITITTIES★★★★The Yard Theatre
PERKY NATIVITITTIES The Yard Theatre ★★★★ “an hilarious show that brings a fantastic piece of alternative and unique Christmas entertainment” As another Christmas rolls around, one may find oneself looking for something new to reignite the Yuletide spirit, forgetting the old traditions and repeated specials that have begun to make
A CHRISTMAS CAROL(ISH)★★★★@Sohoplace
A CHRISTMAS CAROL(ISH) at @Sohoplace ★★★★ “a bumper pack of Christmas crackers – plenty of bangs, groan-worthy jokes, gimmicks and a squeaky toy” In Scrooge-like fashion, the gremlins struck the press night of Nick Mohammed’s madcap festive spectacular causing the performance to be curtailed. They struck again on this second
JACK AND THE BEANSTALK: WHAT A WHOPPER!★★★Charing Cross Theatre
JACK AND THE BEANSTALK: WHAT A WHOPPER! at Charing Cross Theatre ★★★ “some great, high-energy performances and a really superb design” Following last year’s Sleeping Beauty Takes a Prick!, the same creative team returns to the Charing Cross Theatre with another riotously naughty adult pantomime: Jack and the Beanstalk: What
DICK WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT★★★★Hackney Empire
DICK WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT Hackney Empire ★★★★ “This is a campy and silly way to spend an evening, but feels festive and fun” This is a rollicking rollercoaster of a panto. Written by Will Brenton and directed by Clive Rowe (who also stars) it remains true to the classic
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST★★★★New Theatre Royal
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST New Theatre Royal ★★★★ “this show will leave you smiling, laughing and thoroughly entertained” The New Theatre Royal Portsmouth’s Beauty and the Beast is an enchanting pantomime that captures the magic of this cherished Christmas tradition. Created in association with Jordan Productions and directed by Hannah
NAPOLEON: UN PETIT PANTOMIME★★★★Jermyn Street Theatre
NAPOLEON: UN PETIT PANTOMIME at Jermyn Street Theatre ★★★★ “the performers put on an impressive show without a moment’s rest” As the festive season approaches, the time of pantomime comes without holding back. In this production co created by Jermyn Street Theatre and Charles Court Opera, who will be celebrating
HOMO ALONE★★★The Other Palace
HOMO ALONE The Other Palace ★★★ “The four-person cast was wonderful: consistently strong, committed, and just generally vibesy” Homo Alone, a Christmas show performing at The Other Palace’s Studio, is, shockingly, an adaptation of the cult classic film Home Alone, but just very gay. It seems surplus to requirement to
TREASURE ISLAND★★★Royal Lyceum Theatre
TREASURE ISLAND at the Royal Lyceum Theatre ★★★ “They are as talented a bunch of pirates as you’re ever likely to see on the high seas” This year’s holiday season offering at the Lyceum Theatre is an adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s story of piracy on the high seas, and
THE SNOWMAN★★★★Peacock Theatre
THE SNOWMAN at the Peacock Theatre ★★★★ “playful, spectacular and touching” One Christmas Eve, a young boy’s snowman comes to life and takes him on a journey to the North Pole. The Snowman is a transfixing dance show for all ages in celebration of visual storytelling and Christmas enchantment. In
DECK THE STALLS★★★Riverside Studios
DECK THE STALLS Riverside Studios ★★★ “a joyful celebration that brings a smile to our faces” In today’s Google-driven society there are numerous sites on the internet that advise us on the dos and don’ts of that infamous English institution: the office Christmas party. In the past we would just
THE CRUMPLE ZONE★★★Waterloo East Theatre
THE CRUMPLE ZONE at the Waterloo East Theatre ★★★ “The fast pace creates its own sense of delirium, and the bitter aftertaste is delicious” There is love happening in a festive Staten Island apartment. There is heartbreak happening too. There are heartfelt dilemmas as a twentysomething quartet – three men
HOLD ON TO YOUR BUTTS★★★★Arcola Theatre
HOLD ON TO YOUR BUTTS Arcola Theatre ★★★★ “Although lacking the traditional sleigh bells and Santa, it does have sufficient nostalgia, silliness and giggles to fill a panto-shaped hole” In case you’re wondering, “Hold on to your butts” is a line from Samuel L Jackson as he is about to
CINDERELLA★★★★Festival Theatre
CINDERELLA at the Festival Theatre ★★★★ “a spectacular night out with family and friends in a familiar venue hosted by our favourite stars” If it’s glitz, glamour and banter performed by local talent, Edinburgh’s own Cinderella is the panto you’ve been looking for. The Crossroads Production of this much loved
CINDERELLA★★★★★Cambridge Arts Theatre
CINDERELLA Cambridge Arts Theatre ★★★★★ “side-splittingly funny, intelligent and the song and dance numbers are a delight” Pantomime season is amongst us again and this year in Cambridge it is the turn of Cinderella written by Al Lockhart-Morley and directed by Michael Gattrell. Painted backdrops (Ian Westbrook, set designer) featuring
PRESENT★★★★Live Theatre
PRESENT Live Theatre ★★★★ “Abundant with beauty, community, and feeling” ‘Present’ at the Live Theatre is a moving festive production exploring estrangement, alcoholism and homelessness. The story follows Dave, a man struggling with addiction and homelessness amongst the backdrop of the days leading up to Christmas. He is a grandad
A CHORAL CHRISTMAS★★★★Sinfonia Smith Square
A CHORAL CHRISTMAS Sinfonia Smith Square ★★★★ “a strong and heart-warming performance by all” There is nothing that heralds Christmas more than a joyous classical choral music concert, and A Choral Christmas, in the beautiful Smith Square Hall, was just that. Performed by the youthful emerging musicians of both Sinfonia
A KISS FOR CINDERELLA★★★The Space
A KISS FOR CINDERELLA The Space ★★★ “a beautiful hidden gem that is perfectly suited for the festive season” We all know the story of Cinderella. Everyone roots for her reunion with the prince – and her glass slipper. JM Barrie’s lesser-known play, A Kiss For Cinderella, tells the story
WHITE CHRISTMAS★★★★The Mill at Sonning
WHITE CHRISTMAS The Mill at Sonning ★★★★ “There is a simplicity to the evening that allows the storytelling and the inherent values of its message shine through” The rain is falling from a dark, wintry sky and storm Darragh is rumbling away in the near distance heralding its arrival across
THE MASSIVE TRAGEDY OF MADAME BOVARY★★★Southwark Playhouse Borough
THE MASSIVE TRAGEDY OF MADAME BOVARY Southwark Playhouse Borough ★★★ “a high-spirited affair that the cast dive into with relish, commitment and enviable energy” Gustave Flaubert, the champion of realism, spent five years writing “Madame Bovary” only to find himself charged with immorality. Thankfully he was later acquitted, and the
ALICE IN WONDERLAND★★★★★Brixton House
ALICE IN WONDERLAND at Brixton House ★★★★★ “a breath-taking instant classic for the London festive season” What is at the end of the Victoria line? Rap battles and the Jabberwocky. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll is a classic book beloved by children and adults alike. Finding a first
PINOCCHIO★★★★Theatre Royal Stratford East
PINOCCHIO at the Theatre Royal Stratford East ★★★★ “an eye-popping, feel-good extravaganza” Theatre Royal Stratford East leads its audience on a magical mystery tour with its vibrant retelling of the Pinocchio story, blessed with neon colours, funky beats – and a fairy to die for. Sizzling with energy and dressed
