"Visually, the show is a spectacle"
Markets, mulled wine, family, presents and great Christmas shows are all part of the celebrations during the festive season.
The theatre is a great place to spend an evening with loved ones.
The shows embody all the elements of Christmas and provide a different atmosphere from the usual hotspots.
These performances are filled with music, dance, comedy and drama. And, they’re guaranteed fun for all ages.
So, add a twist to your get-togethers and check out these top Christmas shows.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
“Mirror, mirror, on the wall, don’t miss the fairest pantomime of them all!”
In this sensational comedy that includes song and dance numbers, the beloved animation Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will be brought to life.
This panto boasts one of the most dazzling casts out of all the Christmas shows.
Audiences can expect to see multi-award-winning actor Ruthie Henshall as the lead.
Alongside her are X Factor singer, Brenda Edwards, musical theatre star Lee Mea and comedy television presenters, Dick and Dom.
The show is full of seven friendly dwarfs, a beautiful princess, audience participation and magic.
This festive treat is perfect for all the family as you watch Snow White trying to escape the grasp of her stepmother.
Tickets start at £13 and sell out to the 50,000 seats that the New Wimbledon Theatre holds in London. This is one spectacle perfect for some holiday fun.
Dates: December 3, 2022 – December 31, 2022.
Venue: New Wimbledon Theatre, 93 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London SW19 1QG.
Buy your tickets here.
White Christmas
White Christmas is a tale of love and friendship and features dazzling songs like ‘Blue Skies’, ‘Sisters’ and ‘Count Your Blessings’.
The show focuses on veterans Bob Wallace and Phil Davis, played by Jay McGuiness and Phil Davis.
Fulled by love, the playful duo sing and dance their way to the hearts of the stunning Haynes Sisters, Betty and Judy (Jessica Daley, Monique Young).
Set in a Vermont lodge, Bob and Phil’s journey gets shaken up when they discover the lodge is owned by their former Army General, Michael Starke, who is in desperate need of help.
One review of the performance by Rebecca Cohen reveals:
“Visually, the show is a spectacle – everything from the lighting, to the costume, to the set design is a treat for the eyes.”
White Christmas is directed by Ian Talbot OBE and has a run time of two hours and 20 minutes, including an interval.
Tickets go for as little as £13, so it doesn’t break the bank to go witness this amazing show.
Dates: December 6, 2022 – December 31, 2022.
Venue: Liverpool Empire, 1 Lime St, Liverpool L1 1JE.
Get your tickets here.
Elf the Musical
Elf the Musical is based on the beloved 2003 Christmas comedy, Elf, starring Will Ferrell and Zooey Deschanel.
This sparkly adaptation retells the intimate story of Buddy, a normal person who crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts as a baby and grows up with his little helpers.
After struggling to get to grips with Santa’s toy factory, Buddy heads to New York to find his real family.
Spreading his Christmas cheer to all those in his way, Buddy embarks on an adventure full of merry mayhem (especially because his father is on the naughty list).
The Times describes the performance as a “Christmas cake of musicals”.
It has a run time of two hours and 25 minutes with one interval, so the audience can catch their breath from all the nonstop action.
This is one of the most popular Christmas shows around and with tickets as low as £35.80, this is one not to be missed.
Dates: November 14, 2022 – January 7, 2023.
Venue: Dominion Theatre, 268-269 Tottenham Court Rd, Fitzrovia, London W1T 7AQ.
Book your tickets here.
Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol
Experience the classic Dickens tale with an American twist in this critically acclaimed musical from Dolly Parton.
Set during the 30s, in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee, this heartwarming production sees Ebenezer Scrooge as the owner of a mining company town.
His greed blinds him to the Christmas joy and he is visited by the spirit of his deceased business partner.
Along with him are three ghosts who lead him to discover a new life filled with precious gifts such as family and love – not objects or wealth.
The show features an original soundtrack written by the “Queen of Country”. These songs help reimagine this timeless story in a new dimension.
Speaking on the show, Dolly expresses:
“Bringing our reimagined Charles Dickens classic to London feels like a homecoming.
“My songs weave the music of my beautiful Smoky Mountains into this timeless Christmas story.
“And I can’t wait for London audiences to hear them as we tell that story, set in a place that is truly special to me.”
Dates: December 8, 2022 – January 8, 2023.
Venue: Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX.
Book your tickets here.
Mother Goose
If you are looking for something a little different from the ‘typical’ Christmas shows, Mother Goose is one of the hottest plays going.
It stars legendary British actor, Ian McKellen and Liverpudlian comedian and writer, John Bishop.
This hilarious story is great for family and friends and guarantees a bag full of laughs.
It focuses on Mother Goose (McKellen) and her husband Vic (Bishop). They’re the owners of an animal sanctuary that cares for strays.
Whilst they are kind-hearted people, a magical goose comes a-knocking and proposes a life full of fortune.
Will wealth and fame slowly start impacting their decisions and mindset? Will glory lead them astray?
As noted on the company’s website, audiences can:
“Get ready for fairies with hefty vocal cords, puppets with tap dance qualifications, and impeccably constructed mayhem that will quack up the whole family.”
The show is doing a UK tour so people up and down the country can witness this spectacular show – whether it’s for Christmas or not.
Some of the venues you can catch the cast are Duke of York’s Theatre (London), Theatre Royal (Brighton), and Grand Theatre (Wolverhampton).
Dates: December 15, 2022 – March 11, 2023.
Venue: Various across the UK.
Book your tickets here.
These amazing Christmas shows will leave you entertained throughout the festive period.
Whilst some of these performances are retellings of classical stories, they also show these tales in a whole new light.
With audience interactions, music, dance, lights and laughs, there’s no reason why you should miss out this year.