Panto season
Dick Whittington and His Cat review – the rats have no chance in merry panto
It won’t win prizes for originality, but the joyful ensemble spirit of Clive Rowe’s show will keep the kids happy
Brian Logan
09, Dec, 2024 @11:01 AM
Aladdin review – seasonal panto fun, with a good dose of song and storytelling
The titular hero’s coming-of-age tale takes advantage of local tourist attractions and a bright hard-working cast in this brisk and cheerful production
Mark Fisher
09, Dec, 2024 @6:00 AM
Jack and the Beanstalk review – dancing chickens meet the mother of all dames
This uplifting production feels both improvised and polished, with John Elkington’s Dame Daisy camping it up to perfection as Jack’s mother
Arifa Akbar
03, Dec, 2024 @11:19 AM
Pinocchio review – colourful kids’ entertainment with no strings
There are spirited singalongs aplenty and fun and games with audience interaction in this warm and colourful panto – albeit not a lot of complexity or cross-generational appeal
Arifa Akbar
01, Dec, 2024 @11:35 AM
Rapunzel review – needs a trim and a tidy up
This ‘rock’n’roll’ panto is far from Grimm, but not in a good way
Matt Barton
01, Dec, 2024 @11:15 AM
The best theatre to stream this month: Hot Orange, The Warriors and Macbeth
Come out to play with Lin-Manuel Miranda and Eisa Davis’s star-studded concept album or enjoy an improvised movie from the Goes Wrong team
Chris Wiegand
01, Dec, 2024 @6:00 AM
Peter Panto and the Incredible Stinkerbell review – JM Barrie’s fantasy is joyfully upturned
There are cursory mentions of crocodiles, clocks and boys who never grow up, but Johnny McKnight’s script charts its own course in a hilariously daft production
Mark Fisher
27, Nov, 2024 @11:37 AM
Christmas performances shouldn’t be the only theatre at school | Chris Wiegand
You’ll never find an audience or a cast more invested than at a seasonal show, where kids find their feet in front of you. But performing arts provision for the youngest is in peril
Chris Wiegand
26, Nov, 2024 @10:47 AM
Aladdin review – supermarket panto ticks Aldi boxes but needs a Lidl more laughter
There’s charm and warmth aplenty in this updated version of the classic Christmas show, despite a script that’s short on magic
Arifa Akbar
24, Nov, 2024 @11:00 AM
The Scouse Red Riding Hood review – Grandma gets high in raucous adult panto
Wolf-like property developers are set to evict the grandmother, who is on a night of drug-fuelled abandon, in this enjoyable show
Mark Fisher
15, Nov, 2024 @8:00 PM
‘I learned to sword fight in heels’: how Susie McKenna is rewriting the rules of panto
With subversive scripts and a spotlight on local talent, this former principal boy is busy revolutionising pantomime – but there’s still room for bawdy gags
Deborah Linton
15, Nov, 2024 @2:00 PM
Deck the stalls! 20 of the UK’s best festive theatre shows
Theatre’s boom season offers puppy puppetry, hungry houseplants and fresh spins on Dickens, Dumas and Disney
Arifa Akbar
05, Nov, 2024 @3:07 PM
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