The 50 best Christmas shows to book now

Everyone loves a show at Christmas, whether it is family-friendly fun at a panto, or a magical evening at the ballet. But before you start warming up your lungs to shout ‘it’s behind you‘, it is best to get those tickets secured as early as possible. So, to give you some inspiration, here are 50 options from across the country for the festive season this year. Panto The Snow Queen Pantomime Chipping Norton Theatre, Oxfordshire Traditional, non-starry panto with a lot of stage business and audience participation – plus they are generous with the sweets. 18 Nov-17 Jan, chippingnortontheatre.com Aladdin King’s Theatre, Glasgow Pantomime royalty Elaine C Smith from Two Doors Down is Mother Goose to Johnny Mac’s Aladdin. 21 Nov-3 Jan atgtickets.com Dick Whittington The Gaiety, Ayr Somehow, writer Fraser Boyle (who also plays dame Captain Jackie Sparrow) and director Tom Cooper have created a “Scottish pirate pantomime” out of the tale – expect maritime puns galore. 27 Nov-2 Jan thegaiety.co.uk Aladdin Nottingham Playhouse Local favourite John Elkington dons the false bosoms to play Widow Twankey, with Danny Hendrix as Aladdin. 27 Nov-16 Jan nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk The Little Mermaid Grand Opera House, Belfast May McFettridge, one of the UK’s most experienced dames, returns as Queen May for a 36th pantomime season. 28 Nov-10 Jan goh.oc.uk A Christmas Carol: The Panto Watford Palace Theatre Writer Steve Marmion has given Dickens’s tale a panto makeoverwith “a Watford twist”. 29 Nov-3 Jan watfordpalacetheatre.co.uk Sleeping Beauty Bristol HippodromeStrictly Come Dancing’s very own pantomime villain Craig Revel Horwood will look fab-u-lous leading the cast as the wicked Carabosse. Panto stalwart Andy Ford is Muddles. 4 Dec-3 Jan atgtickets.com Beauty and the Beast The Alban Arena, St Albans Joe Swash brings his cheeky chappiness to the comedy role of Belle’s brother, Phillipe Fillop. Stephanie Costi is Belle. 4 Dec-3 Jan everyonetheatres.com Dick Whittington Manchester Opera House Jason Manford pulls on his tights again for the title role and reprises his comedy double act with Ben Nickless, playing Tommy the Cat. 5 Dec-3 Jan atgtickets.com Peter Pan New Wimbledon Theatre, London The delightful Tom Read Wilson plays the Magical Merman, while Jessie Wallace is Captain Hook to Aston Merrygold’s boy who wouldn’t grow up. 5 Dec-3 Jan atgtickets.com Aston Merrygold as Peter Pan for the New Wimbledon Theatre Snow White Swansea Grand Theatre BBC presenter Owain Wyn Evans would be forgiven for putting his feet up after his recent Children in Need exertions, but here he is, doing several shows a week as Spirit of the Forest. 5 Dec-3 Jan swanseagrand.co.uk Cinderella London Palladium The starriest of starry pantos; this year Jennifer Saunders joins Julian Clary’s gang for some more glitzy filth as one of the Ugly Sisters alongside Dawn French. Clary is – what else? – the Fairy Godfather. 5 Dec-10 Jan palladiumpantomime.com Dick Whittingberg Gets Into a Pickle JW3, London Songs, puppetry, dancing and a diamond heist – this Chanukah panto has it all. Plus a talking cat, oy! 6 Dec-3 Jan jw3.org.uk Beauty and the Beast Darlington Hippodrome Local lad Matt Baker shows off his comedy acting chops as Jack, Belle’s brother, in this family show. 11 Dec-3 Jan darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk Sleeping Beauty Venue Cymru, Llandudno Coronation Street’s Jack P Shepherd swashes his buckle on his panto debut, playing the Prince. 12 Dec-2 Jan venuecymru.co.uk The cast of ‘Sleeping Beauty’ at the Birmingham Hippodrome (Photo: Simon Hadley) Sleeping Beauty Birmingham Hippodrome Rylan glams it up as Diva of Dreams, while the ever-reliable Matt Slack provides the comedy as Lester the Jester. 19 Dec-31 Jan birminghamhippodrome.com Dance Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella Touring The New Adventures company’s 30th-anniversary production of Bourne’s work, which reimagines the folk tale as a Second World War love story. 16 Nov-8 May new-adventures.net Cinderella Touring Northern Ballet stages the UK premiere of Michael Pink’s romantic and acclaimed production of the family favourite, set to Prokofiev’s dramatic score. 8-21 Nov, Norwich Theatre Royal; 15 Dec-2 Jan, Leeds Grand Theatre northernballet.com The Nutcracker Hippodrome, Birmingham It is officially Christmas when the Sugar Plum Fairy and co don their tutus. Birmingham Royal Ballet marks the centenary of founding director laureate, Peter Wright, by presenting his much-loved classic production. 20 Nov-12 Dec brb.org The Nutcracker Royal Opera House, London The Royal Ballet also perform Peter Wright’s production of the fable set on Christmas Eve, when young Clara finds one of her toys sets off all sorts of magic. 3 Dec-13 Jan rbo.org.uk The Royal Ballet’s version of ‘The Nutcracker’ (Photo: Andrej Uspenski) Nutcracker London Coliseum More than 100 dancers and musicians conjure up Clara’s magical journey in this production choreographed by Aaron S Watkin and Arielle Smith, set to Tchaikovsky’s beautiful score. 17 Dec-10 Jan ballet.org.uk Cinders! Touring Scottish Ballet revives its hit Christopher Hampson-choreographed ballet, playing with various gender pairings of Cinders finding love with her/his Prince/Princess. 11-24 Dec, Festival Theatre, Edinburgh; 30 Dec-16 Jan, Theatre Royal, Glasgow; 20-23 Jan, His Majesty’s, Aberdeen; 27-30 Jan, Eden Court Theatre, Inverness scottishballet.co.uk Comedy Bill Bailey: Vaudevillean Touring The comic and musical maestro’s show celebrates the great age of entertainment. To 13 Dec; 16 Dec-6 Feb, Theatre Royal Haymarket billbailey.co.uk Garry Starr: Classic Penguins The Other Palace, London Physical comedy and improv as Starr (Damien Warren-Smith) attempts to save books from extinction by performing every Penguin Classic – while naked, except for flippers. Cheeky. To 3 Jan theotherpalace.co.uk Sophie’s Surprise Christmas Party Underbelly Boulevard, London Part circus, part comedy and part chaotic Christmas house party – with its USP being that one audience member becomes Sophie, the guest of honour, each night. Choose your seat carefully. To 10 Jan underbellyboulevard.com ‘Sophie’s Surprise Christmas Party’ will be touring the UK (Photo: Roger Robinson) Adam Riches is Sean Bean in ‘How the Bean Saved Christmas’ Touring The comic returns as the taciturn action man, this time on a mission to save the holiday season. 21 Nov-14 Dec chumpscomedy.com/tours Live at Christmas Touring Bridget Christie and Ivo Graham are among the starry line-up as the tour kicks off at Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone. Fern Brady, Milton Jones and Nina Conti perform other dates, with a changing roster of comics. 30 Nov-20 Dec liveatchristmas.com Musicals Ceilidh The Musical Shoreditch Town Hall, London No tartan twee in this anarchic, immersive celebration of Scottish culture by Scott Gilmour and Claire McKenzie – a hoot, with singing, dancing and storytelling. To 28 Feb ceilidhmusical.co.uk One Day The Musical Garrick Theatre, London Hankies at the ready for this adaptation of the novel by David Nicholls: Jamie Muscato and Sharon Rose are the star-crossed lovers Dexter and Emma. To 14 Mar thegarricktheatre.co.uk Burlesque the Musical Touring If you want something totally unseasonal: a fizzing stage adaptation of the 2010 film starring Cher and Christina Aguilera, with music by Aguilera, Sia and Diane Warren – and dirty dancing. To 15 May burlesqueonstage.com ‘My Fair Lady’ at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre My Fair Lady Pitlochry Festival Theatre Alan Cumming is Professor Higgins in Maria Friedman’s new production of the Lerner-Loewe classic. Verity Power is Eliza Doolittle, the girl being taught how to speak proper, like. 21 Nov-31 Dec pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com Fourteen Again Menier Chocolate Factory, London Neil Morrissey, Ria Jones and Sally Ann Triplett star in this delightful show, in which Tom MacRae has fashioned a touching and funny story based on Victoria Wood songs. 21 Nov-27 Feb menierchocolatefactory.com Big Christmas Singalong Touring Alexander Armstrong and Aled Jones don their velvet jackets for an evening of festive music, chat and charm. 24 Nov-21 Dec gigsandtours.com Anton at Christmas Touring The Strictly Come Dancing charmer hoofs and warbles through seasonal fare, helped by singer Lance Ellington, a band and a dance troupe. 10-22 Dec antondubekelive.com Family Peter Pan Polka Theatre, London A fresh take on the story with songs and sounds performed a capella by vocalists, beatboxers and rappers. For ages five to 12. To 24 Jan polkatheatre.com Santa’s First Christmas Unicorn Theatre, London World premiere of show with storytelling and dance. After he has worked his long shift on Christmas Eve, the elves are determined to give Santa a Christmas Day to remember. For ages four-plus. To 3 Jan unicorntheatre.com Rehearsals for ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ (Photo: Marc Brenner) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Leicester Curve Nikolai Foster directs this new production of Roald Dahl’s terrific adventure where nothing is quite as it seems in Wonka wonderland. For ages eight-plus. 21 Nov-16 Jan curveonline.co.uk Goldilocks and the Three Bears MAC, Belfast The wonderful Chris Robinson stars in this reinvention of the traditional tale as the adopted Baby Bear meets his new family. For ages five-plus. 25 Nov-New Year’s Day themaclive.com The Wind in the Willows Rose Theatre, Kingston A new festive adaptation by Rob Evans of Kenneth Grahame’s riverbank tale, as we learn how Toad, Ratty, Badger and Mole saved not just the Wild Wood, but Christmas itself. For ages five-plus. 25 Nov-3 Jan rosetheatre.org The Sorcerer’s Apprentice HOME, Manchester This new version by Richard Hough and Alexander Bermange is set against the backdrop of the magical Northern Lights. A struggling town needs help from the Sorcerer and his apprentice to survive. For ages six-plus. 27 Nov-2 Jan homemcr.org ‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice’ will be on at Home Manchester The Snow Queen Dundee Rep A contemporary reimagining of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic winter fable. For ages five-plus. 28 Nov-30 Dec dundeerep.co.uk Pinocchio Shakespeare’s Globe, London Return of the heartwarming show about the wooden boy who comes to life, told with music and puppetry, performed in the open air. For ages five-plus. 28 Nov-3 Jan shakespearesglobe.com The Tailor of Gloucester Farnham Maltings, Surrey Darren Clark and Alex Kanefsky’s new musical version of Beatrix Potter’s tale has pop, puppetry and storytelling. For ages three-plus. 11-24 Dec farnhammaltings.com Cirque Alice Royal Festival Hall, London Lewis Carroll’s classic Wonderland adventure is reimagined with aerialists, contortionists, puppetry and music. For ages five-plus. 12 Dec-3 Jan cirquealice.com Theatre A Christmas Carol Old Vic, London Jack Thorne’s adaptation has played each year since 2017 and has become an Old Vic institution. Giles Terera takes over the role of Scrooge. To 9 Jan oldvictheatre.com ‘The Scouse Nativity’ at the Liverpool Royal Court (Photo: AB Photography) The Scouse Nativity Liverpool Royal Court Comedy for the grown-ups: the Bethlehem story as told by Terry, a lonely shepherd who saw a big star and fortunately kept notes; 2,026 years later, we can finally unlock the secrets of the Gospel according to Terry. To 16 Jan liverpoolsroyalcourt.com The Jungle Book Olivier Theatre, London The National Theatre can always be relied upon to stage a Christmas crowd-puller for all ages. Based on Rudyard Kipling’s stories, this new adaptation by Anupama Chandrasekhar, directed by Indhu Rubasingham, brings Mowgli’s adventures to life through storytelling and puppetry. 13 Nov-6 Feb nationaltheatre.org.uk Fly, You Fools! Southwark Playhouse Borough, London If you’re looking for non-seasonal fare, then Middle-earth mayhem in this Tolkien parody may suit, marking 25 years since The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring film was released. 25 Nov-16 Jan southwarkplayhouse.co.uk A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong Touring Mischief returns with more Christmas chaos as Cornley Amateur Drama Society attempt to tackle the Dickens classic. Touring to 7 Mar including 18 Dec-23 Jan, Wyndham’s Theatre, London, mischiefcomedy.com A Christmas Carol St George’s Hall, Liverpool A dark and faithful adaptation of Dickens’s tale given an immersive performance in this venue’s evocative Great Hall. 11-24 Dec ginificent.com