CHILDREN’S THEATRE
What's On The Alban Arena 01727 844488 www.alban-arena.co.uk
Pantos & Family Shows Fri 8–Sun 31 Dec Beauty and the Beast A family-friendly fairy-tale which has all the ingredients for a truly memorable pantomime - hilarious slapstick, plenty of audience interaction and marvellous musical numbers that you will be singing for days afterwards.
Sat 18 Nov-Sat 30 Dec The Snowman™ at Sadler’s Wells Theatre
Wed 8–Sat 11 Nov Elf The Musical Elf the Musical tells the story of Buddy, a young orphan, who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported to the North Pole. This modern day holiday classic is sure to make everyone embrace their inner elf. After all, the best way to spread Christmas Cheer is singing loud for all to hear! Fri 8–Sun 10 Dec The All New Adventures of Peter Pan – A Pantomime Sequel Coronation Street Legend Chris Gascoyne will star as Captain Hook, alongside CBeebie’s Maddie Moate as Tinkerbell, and St Albans’ favourite Ian Kirkby as Mrs Smee. This promises to be the Alban Arena’s most spectacular pantomime yet with stunning sets, dazzling costumes, and a starstudded cast, this is a must-see show for the whole family. Don’t miss your chance to experience the wonder and excitement of Neverland once more in Paul Hendy’s pantomime sequel! Artsdepot, N12 020 8369 5454 www.artsdepot.co.uk
Sun 5 Nov Morgan & West’s Massive Magic Show For Kids Roll up, roll up! Morgan & West are back with a massive magic show for kids (and their childish grown-ups)! Expect gawps, gasps, and guffaws in this relentlessly funnyand fantastical magic filled extravaganza, guaranteed to delight those aged six and 106, and indeed everyone in between! Ages 6+ Sun 12 Nov The Star Seekers The Star Seekers is an interactive show that explores the limitless majesty of galaxies, the solar system, shooting stars and planets through songs, silliness and antigravity antics. Ages 3-8 Sun 19 Nov The Museum of Marvellous Things With giant puppets, magical effects, interactive storytelling, show stopping costumes, LIVE original music and a chance to make your own special puppet, this is a fun-filled family show based on the picture book by Kristina Stephenson, bestselling author and illustrator of Sir Charlie Stinky Socks. Ages 3-8 Sun 26 Nov Riding a Donkey Backwards & Other Tales Khayaal Theatre Company’s Eleanor Martin will present a riveting collection of wise and foolish tales from Muslim literature for family audiences. Featuring 12 Families North West London
Cadogan Hall 020 7730 4500 www.cadoganhall.com
the incredible antics of Mulla Nasruddin, an icon of Muslim humour, whose tales are the subject of Khayaal’s acclaimed children’s book. Ages 5+ Sat 2-Sun 24 Dec Dear Santa Santa is determined to deliver the most fantastic Christmas present to Sarah, but he doesn’t get it right straight away! With the help of his cheeky Elf, he finally settles on something ‘perfect’, just in time for Christmas Eve. The Christmas cheer continues with the opportunity to meet Santa in his grotto after the show, where every child will receive an extra special gift! Ages 2-7 Sun 3 Dec Comedy Club 4 Kids: Christmas Cracker Expect the finest Christmas Cracker jokes, tinsel tomfoolery, festive funnies and even Santa doing stand-up! Starring Comedy Club 4 Kids’ regular host Ternan Douieb Howard Read of ‘Little Howard’ and CBBC fame, and hilarious Helen Duff – this show will be jam-packed with a whole heap of Christmas Comedy Fun to get you in the mood for the big day. Ages 6+ Thu 7 Dec Bring Your Own Baby Comedy The UK’s premier baby-friendly comedy club. The award winning shows feature the funniest comedians in a totally baby-friendly environment. The show features two acts plus a compere, and the whole show will last approx. 75 minutes. Please note that the comics are performing their usual ‘grown up’ material, which is why there is a 15 month age limit for the little laughers. Sun 10 Dec Baby Broadway Christmas The whole family can sing and dance along to seasonal showtunes from hit musicals and well-known songs from Christmas films, all performed by West End singers. Festive fancy dress is encouraged and - as well as singing, clapping and dancing along - you can expect bubbles, bells, flying babies and puppetry!
Wed 13 - Sun 31 Dec I Want My Hat Back Trilogy Jon Klassen’s beloved books, I Want My Hat Back, This is Not My Hat and We Found A Hat, have found a new life of their own LIVE on stage. All your favourites including Bear, Little Fish and the Turtles will be making an appearance in this oneof-a-kind trilogy. Ages 3-8 Wed 27 Dec - Sun 7 Jan There’s a Monster in Your Christmas Show Tom Fletcher’s interactive adventures for big imaginations are leaping from page to stage, as the beloved Who’s in Your Book? series makes its debut as a brand-new musical show. A high-energy 50-minute adventure featuring lively original music, this show is the perfect introduction to live theatre. Expect plenty of playful fun for your littlest ones as their favourite characters come to life in a show that is packed with interactive moments to enjoy together. Ages 2+ The Beck Theatre 020 8561 8371 www.becktheatre.org.uk
Tue 7 – Wed 8 Nov Tales From Acorn Wood Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s beloved Tales from Acorn Wood stories are brought to life on stage for the first time in an enchanting lift-the-flap experience. Packed full of toe-tapping songs, puppetry, and all the friends from Acorn Wood, this beautiful show promises to be the perfect treat for children of all ages. Wed 29 Nov–Sun 3 Dec Sleeping Beauty Experience the enchanting tale of the beautiful princess cursed by a wicked fairy and the brave prince who must break the spell with a kiss. With dazzling costumes, breathtaking choreography, hilarious comedy and your talented British Airways Cabin Crew, this show is perfect for the family.
Sun 17 Dec The Snowman in Concert, The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo’s Child The Mozart Symphony Orchestra returns to Cadogan Hall for its annual performance of the timeless classic, The Snowman, for which the film is shown on the big screen with a live symphony orchestra providing the soundtrack. The Gruffalo makes a welcome return alongside its sequel, The Gruffalo’s Child. Rather like Peter and the Wolf, each character in the tale is represented by a different instrument of the orchestra… what will the Gruffalo be? Chicken Shed 0208 292 9222 www.chickenshed.org.uk
Sat 4 Nov Miniature Travelling Circus Join Little Angel’s Miniature Travelling Circus and be delighted by beautiful puppets, nostalgic magic tricks and acts so tiny you may wonder how you can possibly see them! From performing mice to acrobatic fleas – this circus has stars you won’t see anywhere else! Ages 3-6 Mon 6 Nov Bring Your Own Baby Comedy The UK’s premier baby-friendly comedy club! The multi-awardwinning shows feature the funniest comedians in a totally baby-friendly environment. Ages 18+ (babies under 15 months due to strong language). Sat 2–Sat 30 Dec Christmas Tales presents Cinderella in Boots This marks the first-ever winter pantomime in Tales history! Witness the enchanting mix of classic panto and your favourite Tales characters in this interactive family winter extravaganza! Ages 0-7 Sun 17 Dec Baby Broadway Christmas An interactive Christmas performance suitable for all ages. The whole family can sing and dance along to seasonal show tunes from hit musicals and wellknown songs from Christmas films, all performed by West End singers. Festive fancy dress is encouraged and - as well as singing, clapping and dancing along - you can expect bubbles, bells, flying babies and puppetry!
Familiesonline.co.uk
CHILDREN’S THEATRE
What's On Compass Theatre 01895 673 0200 www. hillingdontheatres.uk
Pantos & Family Shows Wed 27 Dec–Wed 3 Jan The Nutcracker Back with another dazzling treat, the Let’s All Dance Ballet Company presents their family festive favourite! With the company’s customary fabulous dancing, gorgeous costumes, crystal clear story-telling and sumptuous music, this is the perfect Christmas show for the whole family!
Snow White Pantomime at Harrow Art Centre
Thu 7 Dec – Sat 6 Jan Dick Whittington Compass Theatre’s pantomimes are performed by a professional adult cast working alongside locally auditioned, amateur juniors - and are always packed-full of audience participation, jokes, songs, dancing and celebration. Dick Whittington is the ultimate Londoner’s pantomime, telling the legendary tale from English folklore of Richard Whittington and his cat - a humble merchant who later became Lord Mayor. Garrick Theatre, WC2H 0330 333 4811 www.nimaxtheatres.com
Fri 1 Dec – Sun 7 Jan The Gruffalo’s Child Follow the Gruffalo’s Child on her adventurous mission in Tall Stories’ enchanting adaptation of the much-loved picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. Let your imagination run wild with songs, laughs and scary fun for everyone aged 3 to 103. Ages 3+ Harrow Arts Centre, HA5 0208 416 8989 www.harrowarts.com
Sat 9 – Thu 28 Dec Snow White Pantomime Brought to you by family favourites, Immersion Theatre, this fun-filled festive extravaganza is bursting at the seams with all the ingredients audiences have come to expect from their much-loved pantomimes: dazzling costumes, spectacular dance routines, a hilarious script, bags of audience interaction, and maybe even the odd water gun or two! Little Angel Theatre, N1 020 7226 1787 www.littleangeltheatre.com
Until Sun 19 Nov Big Bad Me There are two sides to every story, so let’s hear it from the Wolf himself! The real story, never heard before, of the kind and hungry wolf who strayed from the path and lost his friends. This wolf isn’t big or even bad, in fact he’s rather shy. He won’t gobble up your grandma or tell you lies. He’s polite and very gentle, he’s an all-round nice guy. So before you make up your mind about the wolf you think you know so well, enjoy a whole new spin on this fairy tale and remember to never judge anyone by how they look. Ages 6+ Sat 18 Nov – Sun 4 Feb Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book Charlie loves reading. Especially books about pirates. But his sister hates it – it’s boring! Can Charlie convince her that reading is fun? Go and delve into a range of books with Charlie Cook, brought to life Familiesonline.co.uk
Trestle Theatre, AL4 01727 850950 www.trestle.org.uk
with puppetry and enchanting songs, and perhaps you will be able to help his sister discover the wonderful world inside a book… Ages 3-8 yrs Sat 25 Nov–Sat 27 Jan WOW! It’s Night-time Discover the magic of the twilight hour in this beautiful stage adaptation of Tim Hopgood’s book WOW! It’s Night-time. The curious little owl is back, and this time she’s ready to discover the wonders of night-time, from the big, bright moon to the bats in the sky and the foxes deep in the forest. But where are all the other owls? When the wind blows the leaves from her tree, you’ll soon see. Ages 2-5 Lyric Theatre, W1D 0844 482 9674 www.nimaxtheatres.com
Thu 23 Nov – Sun 14 Jan Peter Pan Goes Wrong The members of the Cornley Drama Society are back on stage, battling technical hitches, flying mishaps and cast disputes as they attempt to present J.M Barrie’s much-loved tale. But will they ever make it to Neverland? Don’t miss Peter Pan Goes Wrong in London this Christmas and brace yourselves for an awfully big adventure! Ages 8+ Puppet Theatre Barge, W9 020 7249 6876 www.puppetbarge.com
Sat 4 – Sun 5 Nov My Shadow and Me (Little Venice) My Shadow and Me is like a cartoon created live out of nothing but darkness and light. One person (and his shadow) meet and go on an incredible, imaginative, shadowy journey where creatures emerge, engage and transform beautifully. A simple, theatrical blend of amazing skill, simplicity, humour and shadow magic. Ages 4+ Sat 11 – Sun 26 Nov The Snitch and Dodo Show (Little Venice) Snitch sail’s to an island where he meets the Dodo bird ! .... but who else is there ? See the show to find out! Surprises, fun and laughter in this show for children aged from 3
to 6 years old performed by puppet master Ronnie Le Drew, aka Zippy from the British TV series Rainbow. The Radlett Centre, WD7 01923 859291 www.radlettcentre.co.uk
Sun 5 Nov Captain Calamity: Big Bucket Of Banger’s Show From the moment Captain Calamity and Crew rocket in from The Lollipop Lighthouse in Chocolate Button Bay the craziness explodes onto the stage. Expect jaw dropping family fun and insanity featuring marvellous magic, bombastic balloons, beautiful bubbles, silly science, gigglesome games, cheeky tunes, one or two custard pies and more whizz-bang than the most explosive fireworks display that you ever gawped at! Mon 13 Nov There’s A Monster In Your Show Tom Fletcher’s interactive adventures for big imaginations are leaping from page to stage, as the beloved ‘Who’s in Your Book?’ series makes its debut as a brandnew musical show. A high-energy 50-minute adventure featuring lively original music, this show is the perfect introduction to live theatre. Ages 3+ Sat 2 – Sun 31 Dec Beauty And The Beast Pantomime Upstage Productions present Beauty and the Beast as the 2023 traditional family pantomime. You are guaranteed dazzling choreography, stunning sets, uplifting live music, glamourous costumes (for most of the cast members!) and, of course, plenty of audience participation. Sadler’s Wells Theatre, EC1R www.sadlerswells.com
Sat 18 Nov–Sat 30 Dec The Snowman™ This winter family favourite is the timeless tale of a boy and a snowman who comes to life. Back for it’s 26th year, The Snowman™ is a magical stage adaptation of the much-loved picture book by Raymond Briggs and the film directed by Dianne Jackson.
Sat 16 Dec Treasure Island This is Treasure Island as you’ve never seen it before, in celebration of Lamphouse Theatre’s 10th anniversary. With a slew of sillysingalong-sea-shanties, plenty of preposterous pirates, and dozens of doubloons, you won’t want to miss Treasure Island this Christmas. Ages 6+ Unicorn Theatre, SE1. 020 7645 0560 www.unicorntheatre.com
Sat 11 Nov – Sun 31 Dec The Bolds The Bolds are just like you and me. They live in an ordinary house on an ordinary street and they love to laugh. But there’s one slight difference… they are hyenas! Combining live music and songs, The Bolds will have you laughing like a bunch of, well, hyenas. Ages 6+ Fri 17 Nov – Sun 31 Dec The Wolf, the Duck and the Mouse This deliciously dark and hilariously funny fable delights in the surreal notion that sometimes friendship can be found in the darkest and most unusual of places and being eaten up by a wolf isn’t actually that bad. Ages 3-7 Watersmeet, WD3 01923 711 063 www.watersmeet.co.uk
Fri 8 – Sun 31 Dec Sleeping Beauty The fairy tale of good over evil portrayed by the cruel and conniving Carabosse in combat with a loveable fairy and her friends will be brought to life this Christmas. Full of surprises with special effects, fun, laughter, music and dance along the way in this year’s hilarious pantomime. Watford Palace Theatre, WD17 01923 225 671 www.watfordpalacetheatre.co.uk
Thu 30 Nov – Sun 31 Dec Cinderella Starring Watford’s favourite Dame, Terence Frisch! Cinderella wants to party ‘like its 1999’ but her stepmother has other ideas… The Palace has been the home of panto since 1908 and Christmas just isn’t the same without it! Support your local theatre and be part of their yearly heart-warming pantomime. Families North West London 13