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.
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
Pantomime royalty Elaine C Smith from Two Doors Down is Mother Goose to Johnny Mac’s Aladdin.
21 Nov-3 Jan atgtickets.com
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
Local favourite John Elkington dons the false bosoms to play Widow Twankey, with Danny Hendrix as Aladdin.
27 Nov-16 Jan nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk
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
29 Nov-3 Jan watfordpalacetheatre.co.uk
’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
5 Dec-3 Jan atgtickets.com
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
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
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
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
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
’s Jack P Shepherd swashes his buckle on his panto debut, playing the Prince.
12 Dec-2 Jan venuecymru.co.uk
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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
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
Adam Riches is Sean Bean in ‘How the Bean Saved Christmas’
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
The charmer hoofs and warbles through seasonal fare, helped by singer Lance Ellington, a band and a dance troupe.
10-22 Dec antondubekelive.com
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
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
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
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
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
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
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
A contemporary reimagining of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic winter fable. For ages five-plus.
28 Nov-30 Dec dundeerep.co.uk
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
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
Lewis Carroll’s classic adventure is reimagined with aerialists, contortionists, puppetry and music. For ages five-plus.
12 Dec-3 Jan cirquealice.com
A Christmas Carol
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
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 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
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
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
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