From Cabaret to the Nutcracker — 30 shows to book for Christmas

Hex at the National Theatre

Hex

After a hit-and-miss panto last year that was disrupted by the pandemic, the National gives us a musical version of the Sleeping Beauty story with music by Jim Fortune and lyrics by the director Rufus Norris. Tamsin Carroll plays Queenie.
Ages eight plus. Olivier, National Theatre, London SE1 (nationaltheatre.org.uk), Dec 4 to Jan 22

The Magician’s Elephant

A giant puppet pachyderm is the star of the RSC’s new family musical. Don’t worry if you haven’t read the fey children’s novel by the American writer Kate DiCamillo; this adaptation by Nancy Harris and Marc Teitler adds its own humorous spin.
Ages six plus. Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon (rsc.org.uk), to Jan 1

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Sally Cookson’s imaginative adaptation of CS Lewis’s Narnia story is back in a touring production that will be taking up residence at the Lowry, Salford, during the Christmas holidays. It’s a perfect way to teach kids there’s more to special effects than CGI.
Ages six plus. Curve, Leicester, Nov 2 to 13 then touring (lionwitchonstage.com)

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus

Here’s a spectacle with a difference. The writer Hannah Lavery presents her take on the story by L Frank Baum (the creator of The Wizard of Oz, of course), staged as an open-air promenade production.
Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Perthshire (pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com), Dec 1 to 23

Pantoland at the Palladium

There’s never any shortage of double entendres when Julian Clary is in the house. There will be an appearance from a Palladium institution, the dance troupe the Tiller Girls and, talking of nostalgia, the former teenage idol Donny Osmond will be in the line-up too. Parental discretion is advised due to innuendo: no under-fours allowed.
London Palladium, London W1 (thetimes.co.uk/tickets), Dec 4 to Jan 9

A Christmas Carol at Nottingham Playhouse

MANUEL HARLAN

A Christmas Carol

As ever, you have your pick of Dickens. The Old Vic’s annual production has Stephen Mangan as Scrooge, while the Sherman Theatre in Cardiff hosts an actor- musician version. Best of the bunch could be Mark Gatiss’s in which he plays Jacob Marley opposite Nicholas Farrell’s miser.
Ages 12 plus. Nottingham Playhouse (nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk), to Nov 20 and Alexandra Palace, London N22 (christmascarolonstage.co.uk), Nov 26 to Jan 9

Robin Hood: Legend of the Forgotten Forest

One of the country’s most beautiful theatres is the setting for a reworking of the legend of Sherwood Forest. What happens when a 21st-century child finds a book that acts as a gateway to a 12th-century battle? Expect some karaoke-singing monks too.
Ages seven plus. Bristol Old Vic (bristololdvic.org.uk), Nov 25 to Jan 8

She Loves Me

The composer Jerry Bock and the lyricist Sheldon Harnick may be best known for Fiddler on the Roof, but their other credits include this deliciously witty musical about two lonely hearts. Robert Hastie directs.
Crucible Theatre, Sheffield (sheffieldtheatres.co.uk), Dec 11 to Jan 15

Royal Nutcracker at the Royal Opera House

Dance

Royal Nutcracker

The king of all Nutcrackers is back at Covent Garden. Peter Wright’s staging is sumptuous; Julia Trevelyan Oman’s marvellously detailed designs evoke the magic of a 19th-century Nuremberg winter.
Ages five plus. Royal Opera House, London WC2 (roh.org.uk), Nov 23 to Jan 8

ENB Nutcracker

Edwardian England is the setting for Wayne Eagling’s production for English National Ballet in which Clara flies off to the Land of Snow in a hot-air balloon. Peter Farmer’s designs are as pretty as a Christmas card.
Ages five plus. Coliseum, London WC1 (ballet.org.uk), Dec 16 to Jan 8

Scottish Nutcracker

This chocolate-box production by Scottish Ballet is a classic, with choreography by the company’s founder, Peter Darrell. The original Seventies ballet was reimagined for the 21st century by Christopher Hampson and the designer Lez Brotherston.
Ages six plus. Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Dec 1 to 31, then touring to Feb 12 (scottishballet.co.uk)

Birmingham Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker

ANDREW ROSS

Birmingham Nutcracker

Here Birmingham Royal Ballet brings David Bintley’s magical staging, made for the Royal Albert Hall in London, to its home theatre. Dick Bird’s wall-of-mirrors set reflects spectacular scenic elements that bring the 19th century to vivid life.
Birmingham Hippodrome (brb.org.uk), Nov 20 to Dec 11

Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker!

The sweetest treat for those who like a dollop of wit and humour in their classics. It starts in a grim orphanage and ends in the euphoria of Sweetieland, inspired by the golden age of Hollywood musicals.
Ages five plus. Sadler’s Wells, London EC1 (sadlerswells.com), Dec 7 to Jan 30 and Lowry Theatre, Salford, Nov 23 to Dec 4

Merlin at the Grand Theatre, Leeds

EMMA KAULDHAR

Merlin

Northern Ballet tours Drew McOnie’s new ballet, which tells the tale of how the world’s most famous sorcerer used his magic to unite a warring kingdom. Colin Richmond is the designer, while Grant Olding contributes the score.
Grand Theatre, Leeds, Nov 9 to 20; Mayflower, Southampton, Dec 2 to 4 (northernballet.com)

The Little Prince

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s tale of the little prince who leaves behind his own tiny asteroid to journey through the universe is told in an enchanting combination of dance, music and spoken word by Luca Silvestrini and his Protein troupe.
The Place, London WC1 (theplace.org.uk), Dec 18 to 24

The Snowman

TRISTRAM KENTON

The Snowman

If your kids are too young for Nutcracker, this is the show for you. Howard Blake’s music — including Walking in the Air — and Robert North’s choreography tell the simple story of the snowman who comes to life.
Ages two plus. Peacock, WC1 (sadlerswells.com), Nov 20 to Jan 2

Rick Wakeman

Classical

Rick Wakeman

The keyboard virtuoso hits the road big-time with his 16-date Not Quite as Grumpy as Last Xmas tour. We are promised spellbinding piano, side-splitting stories and revealing insights, plus his arrangements of traditional Christmas tunes.
Anvil, Basingstoke, Nov 28, then touring (anvilarts.org.uk)

Glyndebourne

A chance to see the rolling South Downs landscape and the opera house in midwinter rather than midsummer, as the company mounts four Christmas concerts (including carols for all) and a performance of Handel’s Messiah.
Glyndebourne, East Sussex (glyndebourne.com), Dec 8-12; Messiah Dec 10 and touring

Far, Far Away: Tchaikovsky and the Magical Toy Box

The ever-inventive Aurora Orchestra has devised this multi-sensory performance weaving Tchaikovsky’s music into a story by the poet Kate Wakeling. It’s intended for families with children aged up to five, who are invited to “listen, sing and dance”.
Kings Place, London N1 (kingsplace.co.uk), Dec 4, 5, 11 and 12, four performances daily

Jonas Kaufmann

GREGOR HOHENBERG

Christmas with Jonas Kaufmann

The star tenor is more usually seen sweating through the biggest roles in Verdi and Wagner in the opera house, but in this orchestral concert he’s in a more seasonal mood. In a night practically oozing glühwein and lebkuchen, he will sing traditional German favourites and Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra numbers too. Perhaps if you clap hard enough he’ll give a live performance of the Mariah Carey Christmas classic he so memorably recorded.
Royal Albert Hall, London SW7 (royalalberthall.com), Dec 16

Christmas Oratorio

This is James MacMillan’s, not Bach’s. This epic choral and orchestral work premiered in the Netherlands last January to ecstatic reviews and encompasses poetry by Milton and Donne as well as the traditional Nativity story. Its British premiere is by the London Philharmonic.
Royal Festival Hall, London SE1 (southbankcentre.co.uk), Dec 4

Wolf Witch Giant Fairy

A new 65-minute family show that’s presented by the Royal Opera and Little Bulb companies. It promises witches on broomsticks and wolves in disguise, but also a fresh twist on traditional fairytales. The baritone Peter Brathwaite is among the cast. Each show will be given a relaxed performance.
Ages five plus. Linbury Theatre, Royal Opera House, London WC2 (roh.org.uk), Dec 10 to Jan 3

Bill Bailey

Comedy

Bill Bailey: En Route to Normal

Bailey thought up the title even before life as we know it became life as we’ve never known it. Now, in his first (arena) tour of new material since the pandemic began, he mixes stand-up and music to look at humanity’s ability to endure.
Plymouth Pavilions, Dec 12 and 13, then touring to Jan 15 (billbailey.co.uk)

Bridget Christie: Who Am I?

Having found the fun in sexual discrimination and Brexit in earlier shows, the perennially playful yet pertinent Christie zeroes in on the menopause — “I want to be a cheerleader for it” — death and her surge in confidence after lockdown.
South Street, Reading, Nov 11, then touring, including Leicester Square Theatre, London WC2, Dec 14 to 18 (bridgetchristie.co.uk)

Mo Gilligan

YOSHITAKA KONO

Mo Gilligan: There’s Mo to Life

He makes stand-up look easy and feel entirely personal, but Gilligan applies a forensic eye to the everyday rituals we take for granted in a way that recalls Lee Evans. And on December 8 he headlines a show at the O2, Mo Gilligan and Friends: The Black British Takeover.
Brighton Dome, Nov 6, then touring to Dec 18 (mogilligan.com)

Natalie Palamides: Laid

Before she dragged up to unforgettable effect in Nate: A One Man Show (as seen on Netflix), this American performer broke through in 2017 with this unique piece, being performed again at Soho Theatre. It pitches her somewhere between a mean clown, a Tennessee Williams heroine and a short-order chef. Also at Soho are Shaparak Khorsandi (Dec 13-23) and Mark Watson (Dec 20-23).
Soho Theatre, London W1 (sohotheatre.com), Dec 13 to Jan 8

Ben Elton

It’s two years since Elton came back to stand-up comedy with a show exploring identity politics and his obsolescence or otherwise as an emissary of 20th-century social democracy. Now it reaches the West End and things haven’t exactly improved in the meantime . . .
Harold Pinter Theatre, London SW1 (benelton.live), Dec 20 to 30

Mark Thomas

STEVE ULLATHORNE

Mark Thomas: An Extra Plate

Social activist turns Santa — sort of — as Thomas reveals himself to be a huge lover of all things Christmas. Here he tells tales of seasonal giving and sharing and “finding hope in the darkest time of the year”.
Battersea Arts Centre, London SW11 (bac.org.uk), Dec 14 to 23