Last Updated on October 28, 2025
The Capital’s Christmas Theatre round-up for this year:
What’s that I hear? Is it the distant ringing of jingle bells? In what feels like no time at all, it is once again time to start thinking about Christmas. Turkeys are being pre-ordered, stocking fillers are being bought, and rehearsals are well underway for London’s beloved festive plays, pantomimes, and ballets. The team at London-Unattached have compiled the very best theatre that London has to offer this Christmas. Yule want to book ‘em in quick!
Contents
Christmas Plays.
A Christmas Carol – The Old Vic
It never feels like Christmas until The Old Vic erects the neon red sign reading ‘A Christmas Carol’ over their esteemed playhouse. Now in its umpteenth revival, this beloved staging of the familiar Christmas tale is set to star Paul Hilton as Ebenezer Scrooge. Tickets are already selling fast, so I recommend grabbing these while you still can. Read our review of last year’s show here.
Dates: 12th November 2025 – 10th January 2026
Location: Waterloo, SE1 8NB
Christmas Day – The Almeida
From the makers of the Olivier Award winning Boys on the Verge of Tears comes a Christmas play unlike the others. Christmas Day tells the story of a group of Jewish family members who gather together, well, on Christmas Day. Billed as a darkly comic play about identity and belonging, let’s hope director James Macdonald and playwright Sam Grabiner conjure up another theatrical treat.
Dates: 9th December 2025 – 8th January 2026
Location: Islington, N1 1TA
Twelfth Night – RSC at The Barbican
Following on from a stellar, sold-out run at Stratford-upon-Avon, director Prasanna Puwanarajah’s take on this Shakespearean comedy is travelling to the Barbican this Christmas. Praised for its high-concept design and incredible cast (some of whom will be reprising their roles), this Twelfth Night will certainly spread some cheer.
Dates: 8th December 2025 – 17th January 2026
Location: Barbican Estate, EC2Y 8DS
Christmas Carol Goes Wrong – Apollo Theatre
A brand new ‘Goes Wrong’ comedy is about to hit multiple stages this Christmas. From the infamous theatre company Mischief, known for their outrageous shows where everything goes belly-up, this new comedy is set to bring their old tricks to an even older tale. Christmas Carol Goes Wrong will start their tour in Salford on the 2nd of November, travelling down through Cheltenham, Cardiff and Bath, before coming to London’s Apollo Theatre in early December.
Dates: 6th December 2025 – 25th January 2026
Location: West End, W1D 7EZ
A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Sam Wanamaker Playhouse
Although it is a little late for Midsummer, few Shakespearean plays are as festive as A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In collaboration with Headlong theatre, this marks the first production of the show to grace the stages of the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. Expect a quarrelling fairy King and Queen, a wild Puck and all-round candlelit mayhem in this brand-new production from directors Holly Race Roughan and Naeem Hayat.
Dates: 15th November 2025 – 31st January 2026
Location: South Bank, SE1 9DT
Pantos – Traditional and Beyond
Peter Pan: A Pantomime Adventure! – The Greenwich Theatre
Brought to us by the same team as their festive show last year, Peter Pan: A Pantomime Adventure! is Greenwich Theatre’s festive offering for 2025. Promising the inclusion of several of J.M. Barrie’s beloved characters, including Wendy, Tinkerbell and Captain Hook, this looks like it will be fun for all the family. All aboard the Jolly Roger!
Dates: 28th November 2025 – 11th January 2026
Location: Greenwich, SE10 8ES
Wicked Witches: A Popular Panto! – The Pleasance Theatre
Just in time for the hotly anticipated release of Wicked: For Good, this panto/drag cabaret is inspired by the hugely popular story of Elphaba and Glinda, set in the Wizard of Oz universe. Wicked Witches: A Popular Panto! is a unique collaboration between the Vaults and the Pleasance Theatre that will produce TWO versions of the show. One will be expressly child-friendly, and the other will be for adults only, but both will be camp, glittery and all-round spectacular – make sure to book the right one though. Don’t miss your chance to see the Emerald City.
Dates: 18th November 2025 – 31st December 2025
Location: Islington, N7 9EF
Jack and the Beanstalk – Lyric Hammersmith
Following a standout production of Aladdin last year, the team behind the last panto at the Lyric are back with Jack and the Beanstalk. Written by Sonia Jalaly and directed by Nicholai La Barrie, the panto promises a festive dose of onstage magic, fresh comedy, popular musical numbers and of course, a fairy godfather!
Dates: 5th November 2025 – 4th January 2026
Location: Hammersmith, W6 0QL
Musicals For Festive Fun.
Elf The Musical – Aldwych Theatre
The beloved festive show Elf The Musical returns to the West End, with a host of stars riding along in Santa’s Sleigh. Following its Broadway debut in 2010, this show has remained a staple of the West End since it arrived in 2015. Inspired by the award-winning Christmas film Elf, the musical is set to star Joel Montague as Buddy, Carrie Hope Fletcher as Jovie and Aled Jones as Walter Hobbs.
Dates: 5th November 2025 – 4th January 2026
Location: West End, WC2B 4DF
Pinocchio – The Globe
A brand-new musical is set to hit the Globe Theatre stage this Christmas: Pinocchio. Written by Charlie Josephine, with lyrics and music from Jim Fortune and directed by Sean Holmes, this promises a fun production for all the family. With tickets starting at just £5, there’s no time to waste!
Dates: 29th November 2025 – 4th January 2026
Location: South Bank, SE1 9DT
Into the Woods – The Bridge Theatre
And happy ever after? One can only hope! There are few other things we want more at Christmas than a good musical, and there are few musicals as good as Sondheim’s Into The Woods. Known primarily for its witty dialogue, astonishing score and fierce message, this brand-new version of the beloved musical will be a fairy-tale come true for Christmas revellers.
Dates: 2nd December 2025 – 18th April 2026
Location: South Bank, SE1 2SG
Kids’ Christmas Specials.
The Nutcracker – St Martin’s Theatre
This audacious reimagining of The Nutcracker was up for an Olivier award in 2025 for Best Family Entertainment and is now back on the West End. Originally co-produced with Little Bulb and Polka Theatre, the show has been praised for its music, silliness and family-friendly fun. Best for ages 5-12, this production is now on at St Martin’s Theatre for a strictly limited run.
Dates: 10th December 2025 – 4th January 2026
Location: West End, WC2H 9NZ
Bluey’s Big Play – Royal Festival Hall
Back by popular demand, Bluey’s Big Play is returning to the Southbank Centre this Christmas. Another Olivier-nominated show, Bluey’s Big Play is a new story written by the original Bluey creator, Joe Brumm, with music by composer Joff Bush. Including larger-than-life puppets of all the original cast, including Bluey, Bingo and Bandit, this is a family outing not to be missed.
Dates: 18th December 2025 – 11th January 2026
Location: South Bank, SE1 8XX
Immersive Christmas Events.
The Great Christmas Feast – The Lost Estate
Immersive theatre mixed with a three-course meal – what’s not to love. The Great Christmas Feast returns for another year, aiming to transport audiences to 1843 and the very first telling of Dickens’ beloved novella. This particular iteration of The Great Christmas Feast marks director Simon Pittman’s fourth time directing the immersive extravaganza. The experience promises everything from roast duck to live music, complete, of course, with a large helping of Christmas pud.
Dates: 14th November 2025 – 4th January 2026
Location: Kensington, W14 9LP
Humbug – The Vaults
Bah Humbug! Returning to London for another year, Humbug is an immersive Christmas dive bar experience that promises a raucous Xmas extravaganza. Promising themed cocktails, immersive performances, confetti cannons, and the opportunity to party with Santa himself, the event will be bringing the fun to Waterloo’s Vaults over the festive period. Tickets start at just £19.80.
Dates: 18th November 2025 – 31st December 2025
Location: Waterloo, SE1 7AD
The Nutcracker Noir – Protein Studios Shoreditch
A brand-new immersive show is going to be gracing London’s streets this Christmas. The Nutcracker Noir is going to give its audiences a glittery dining experience like no other, complete with a host of performances and a menu curated by immersive dining specialist Jenny McNeill at Feast & Fable. The show, brought to us from acclaimed makers DesignScene and immersive storytellers Secret Theatre, promises people the chance to get a front-row seat to Clara’s journey. Dining tickets start from £115, and bar seating from £48.
Dates: 25th November 2025 – 21st December 2025
Location: Shoreditch, EC2A 3EY
Christmas Dance Events
Ebony Scrooge – Sadler’s Wells East
ZooNation is set to deliver a classic twist on A Christmas Carol this year with Ebony Scrooge. The story follows Ebony, a formidable fashion designer who cancels Christmas for her staff to make way for her landmark fashion show. As she rediscovers her Caribbean roots, however, she embarks on a journey that will change her outlook forever. Staged at Sadler’s Wells East, tickets start at just £15.
Dates: 26th November 2025 – 4th January 2026
Location: Stratford, E20 2AR
The Snowman – Sadler’s Wells Peacock Theatre
Returning for its 28th year to Sadler’s Wells, this critically acclaimed production of The Snowman will no doubt continue its long-running success in delighting audiences. Featuring the classic hit Walking in the Air, performed by a live orchestra and including enchanting costumes and scenery, The Snowman is a perfect introduction to dance and ballet at Sadler’s Wells Peacock Theatre.
Dates: 22nd November 2025 – 4th January 2026
Location: West End, WC2A 2HT
The Red Shoes – Sadler’s Wells Peacock Theatre
Having won two Olivier awards in 2017, Matthew Bourne’s production of The Red Shoes is always a welcome addition to London’s Christmas productions. Based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, the ballet explores how one girl’s obsession can lead to catastrophic consequences. Tickets start at just £15, so really, there is no excuse to miss this deeply moving production.
Dates: 2nd December 2025 – 18th January 2026
Location: West End, WC2A 2HT
Looking for more Nutcrackers?
Our resident dance expert has all the best productions, complete with a bow on top, in a London Nutcracker round-up here.
Leave a Reply