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 Christmas in London 2009: Shows & Pantos
 Aladdin is the panto of choice in London this Christmas as the Hackney Empire and New Wimbeldon Theatre choose the story of the Genie of the Lamp as their festive show. But if the exaggerated acting and comic slapstick of panto is too much for you, head to Shakespeare's Globe - open for its first Christmas ever - where the Footsbarn theatre company are sure to entertain. Or choose from annual favourites including The Snowman and The Nutcracker, just some of the fabulous family shows on offer in London this winter.
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Christmas in London 2009: Related Articles Ice Skating | Christmas Lights | Christmas Trees | Markets & Fairs | Hotel Hideaways   Aladdin
Hackney Empire, E8 1EJ 28th November 2009 - 9th January 2010 Hackney Empire, the traditional home of London's panto scene, is recreating the magic of Aladdin for their Christmas show - the last to be staged here for some time as the newly refurbished, Grade II listed venue closes its main hall for a "period of reflection" after the panto ends on 9th January. It promises to finish with a bang with a festive show full of music, comedy and magic. No stranger to panto, Hackney Empire's associate director, Susie McKenna, has written and directed 10 pantomimes for the venue including last year's hugely popular Mother Goose for which Clive Rowe earned an Olivier nomination for his performance in the title role. This year, Susie has also helped adapt A Christmas Carol for the Arts Theatre's Christmas production. Clive is back as Widow Twanky and stars opposite musical star Anna Jane Casey who recently appeared at the Menier Chocolate Factory in the hilarious Forbidden Broadway. Aladdin was last staged here in 2004 when audiences were treated to an extravagant production, and we can expect an equally spectacular show this time around. Book in now to enjoy one of London's top panto venues while you can. Venue: Hackney Empire Address: 291 Mare Street, E8 1EJ Phone: 020 8510 4500 Date: 28th November 2009 - 9th January 2010 Time: Various times Pricing: £9-£22.50 (Standard), concs available Nearest Station: Hackney Central Rail Aladdin - Information  Footsbarn's Christmas Cracker
Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, SE1 9DT 22nd December 2009 - 3rd January 2010 For the first time ever, Shakespeare's Globe will be opening its doors over the festive season with a Christmas show hosted by travelling theatre company, Footsbarn, who are renowned for their brilliant fringe theatre productions. Leave it to them to put on a Christmas Cracker of entertainment, a vertiable feast of family fun which jumps from circus to comedy with some bawdy pagan poetry thrown in for good measure. The Globe's artistic director, Dominic Dromgoole, brought the Footsbarn back to Bankside earlier this year for A Midsummer Night's Dream and describes their creative genius affectionately - "They are genuinely bananas," he says. "That's why I love them so much." Seeing as this is Shakespeare's Globe it's only fitting that the Bard himself should be here - but not quite as you'd expect; in the Footsbarn's hands, the poetry reciting wordsmith has three heads. Tightrope walkers, puppets, music and magic all come tumbling out of this Christmas Cracker. Venue: Shakespeare's Globe Theatre Address: 21 New Globe Walk, SE1 9DT Phone: 020 7401 9919 Date: 22nd December 2009 - 3rd January 2010 Time: 22 & 23, 28, 30 Dec, 2 Jan 5.30pm, mats 23 & 24, 26-31 Dec, 2 & 3 Jan 2pm, 27, 29, 31 Dec 11am | No perfs 25 Dec or 1 Jan Pricing: £5-£20 (Standard), £60, £42 (Family) Nearest Station: Southwark Tube Footsbarn's Christmas Cracker - Information  Sandi Toksvig's Christmas Cracker
Southbank Centre, SE1 8XX 15th - 24th December 2009 Comedienne Sandi Toksvig hosts a seasonal Christmas Cracker at the Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall, a fun filled variety show featuring special guests including Ronnie Corbett. This musical comedy is loosely based on a re-working of Charles Dickens' seasonal favourite, A Christmas Carol, to a script by actress and Fascinating Aida comedienne Dillie Keane. Sandi is joined by a house band and number of yet-to-be-announced guests who vary throughout the show's ten-day run. Working with the Southbank Centre's Artistic Director, Jude Kelly, Sandi exchanges stand-up for the stage. But this isn't the first time she has turned thespian for some Christmas time joviality - she also starred in the 2007 production of Stephen Fry's witty Cinderella, a hugely popular show when it was staged at the Old Vic two years ago. Director Fiona Laird also makes a return, intent on putting the 'bang' in this Christmas Cracker which is bound to be great fun for all the family. Venue: Southbank Centre Address: Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX Phone: 0871 663 2501 Date: 15th - 24th December 2009 Time: Daily 7.30pm, excl 24 Dec mat 2.30pm Pricing: £15-£35, concs available Nearest Station: Waterloo Rail / Tube Sandi Toksvig's Christmas Cracker - Information  A Christmas Carol
Arts Theatre, WC2H 7JB 11th November 2009 - 10th January 2010 The Arts Theatre stages an adaptation of Charles Dickens's well known festive ghost story, A Christmas Carol, starring comedian Gareth Hale (one half of Hale and Pace) as the miserly Scrooge. Adapted by Hackney Empire's Susie McKenna with music by composer Steve Edis - regular collaborators for this kind of thing - the show tells the story of Christmas-hating Sidney and his nephew Danny who accidentally get locked in a theatre. They're faced with performing 'A Christmas Carol' on stage with the help by two out-of-work actors, the resident theatre cat, and Charlie the theatre mouse who is suffering from stage fright. Featuring puppets, dancing and an original score, this is a traditional Christmas story with a new slant. The scene is set the moment you walk into the Arts Theatre as the foyer is transformed into a Dickensian winter wonderland with festive delights from toffee apples and candy canes to warm minced pies and spiced mulled wine. Venue: Arts Theatre Address: 6-7 Great Newport Street, WC2H 7JB Phone: 020 7836 2132 Date: 11th November 2009 - 10th January 2010 Time: Tue to Sat 7.30pm, Sun 5.30pm, mats Thu, Sat 2.30pm, Sun 1.30pm | no perf Dec 25, no mat perf Nov 19, Jan 7 Pricing: £15-£37.50 Nearest Station: Leicester Square Tube A Christmas Carol - Information  Cinderella
Unicorn Theatre, SE1 2HZ 5th December 2009 - 24th January 2010 The favourite rags-to-riches children's classic, Cinderella, is given a new twist at the Unicorn Theatre this Christmas as 'My Parents are Aliens' writer Phil Porter reworks the tale of the missing glass slipper for today's young audience. Phil's previous plays for kids include last year's hit 'The Flying Machine', 'The Cracks in my Skin' and 'Smashed Eggs' for which he won the Arts Council Children's Award in 2003. In this version we find Cinderella doing her best to bail out the family business, a floating retirement home for magicians. One day her Dad happily announces he has found a new wife but Mrs Yarg and her mean daughters are not at all what Cinderella was hoping for. No production of Cinderella would be complete without the ball scene where the poor put-upon girl gets to wear her glittering gown and - happily for the traditionalists - that's included here. A humourous take on a much-loved tale. And, on certain Family Days (13th, 20th and 27th December and 3rd, 17th and 24th January) you can enjoy a 90-minute workshop before the performance then meet some of the cast afterwards. Ages 6+ Venue: Unicorn Theatre Address: 147 Tooley Street, SE1 2HZ Phone: 020 7645 0560 Date: 5th December 2009 - 24th January 2010 Time: Various dates, 10.15am, mats 1.45pm or 2pm, eve 7pm Pricing: £18 (Standard), £12 (Concs), £50 (Family) | Family Days £28 Nearest Station: London Bridge Tube Cinderella - Information  Jack and the Beanstalk
Lyric Hammersmith, W6 0QA 21st November 2009 - 9th January 2010 Panto comes to the Lyric Hammersmith this Christmas, after an absence of 30 years, as the classic fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk delivers an unusually large plant and some 'Fee fi fo fum' fun for all the family. The new direction can be put down to the Lyric's new artistic director, Sean Holmes, who has brought in Steve Marmion to direct. He draws on experience working with the National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, the Soho Theatre and recent projects directing the acclaimed Edward Gant's Amazing Feats of Loneliness for Headlong and The Entire History of Cabaret at the Edinburgh Fringe. Expect a glittering set designed by Tom Scutt and a sparkling script from the quartet writing it: Richard Bean (England People Very Nice) and Che Walker ("a talent to watch" - The Guardian), Joel Horwood and comedy writer Morgan Lloyd Malcolm. The story is a familiar one with Jack selling his cow for some magic beans, growing a big stalk and climbing up to the giant's castle. But there will be plot twists in this top quality pantomime production to keep the audience on their toes. Venue: Lyric Hammersmith Address: Lyric Square, W6 0QA Phone: 0871 22 117 29 Date: 21st November 2009 - 9th January 2010 Time: Various times Pricing: £10, £15, £20, £25 (Adults), £10 (Children Under 16) Nearest Station: Hammersmith Tube Jack and the Beanstalk - Information  The Forest
The Young Vic, SE1 8LZ 9th December 2009 - 24th December 2009 Fevered Sleep, the creators of 'And the Rain Falls Down' and 'Brilliant', have joined forces with Fuel to bring us The Forest, a contemporary dance performance inspired by nature and aimed at children aged 5 to 7. The Forest starts with the idea that forests are mythical places, alive and mysterious. Everything moves in the forest which makes it ideal for a lively stage performance full of movement, strange sounds and surprises. Nature and animals - and the idea of becoming an animal - are explored in this show which makes maximum use of movement and rhythm. Like a forest, strange and beautiful effects take shape to delight and surprise of the children in the audience. The Forest is the first in a new series of projects by Fevered Sleep centred on landscapes. In 2010 we can look forward to the sequel, Freeze, which looks to snow covered mountains, frost and ice as its inspiration. Venue: The Young Vic Address: 66 The Cut, SE1 8LZ Phone: 020 7922 2922 Date: 9th December 2009 - 24th December 2009 Time: 9-12, 14-19, 21-24 Dec 10.30am & 1.30pm | no perfs 13 & 20 Dec Pricing: £8 Nearest Station: Waterloo Tube / Rail The Forest - Information  Cabaret Simon
Barbican The Pit, EC2Y 8DS 16th - 31st December 2009 Cabaret created just for kids, Cabaret Simon premieres at The Pit at the Barbican this Christmas - and only children aged 4 to 10 are allowed (unaccompanied adults can forget it). This playful extravaganza brings together a truly remarkable band of entertainers in a show that's intriguing, surprising and magical. Commissioned by Barbican bite09, directors Lone Twin theatre company and Stuart Silver have been working with Discover children's story centre to produce this collaboration with performer Guy Dartnell. Simon, your host for the show is played by Guy Dartnell who is familiar with performing for a younger audience. His successful 'Oogly Boogly' show for children under two - in which he and three other adults mirror the babies' movements - kept kids and parents entertained at the London Mela Festival and at Sadler's Wells family weekend in October. Regular visitors to the Barbican's BITE series will have already seen Lone Twin's site-specific performances which have taken place all over the Barbican estate - last year with 'Speeches' and during bite07 with 'Spiral'. Ages 4-10 Venue: Barbican The Pit Address: Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS Phone: 020 7628 3351 ext 7680 Date: 16th - 31st December 2009 Time: 17 & 18 Dec 6pm (press night 17 Dec), 19, 22 & 23, 30 Dec 4.30pm, mats 16, 20, 27, 29 Dec 12noon, 19, 22, 23, 30 & 31 Dec 1pm, 20, 27, 29 Dec 3pm Pricing: £6.50 (Standard) | No unaccompanied adults Nearest Station: Barbican Tube Cabaret Simon - Information  The Nutcracker
The Coliseum, WC2N 4ES 16th December 2009 - 3rd January 2010 Like unwrapping a Christmas present or wandering through a dream, The Nutcracker has all the wide-eyed suspense of something unexpected about to happen. Senses are heightened by cartoonist Gerald Scarfe's storybook sets and, as the dancers start to twist and turn through the pages of this pop-up production, fact and fiction melt together. The much-loved tale of little Clara's adventures as she witnesses the growing Christmas tree, travels to the Land of Snow and comes to face-to-face with the Sugar Plum Fairy is given a fresh perspective by some theatrical gems. Snowflakes do sprightly leaps out of a giant fridge, the mice burst onto stage with machine guns and gas masks to do battle and the 'Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy' lives up to Tchaikovsky's twinkling score. Children and the young at heart will just love the magic and sparkle of this Christmas production. Book early to avoid disappointment as this 'Nutcracker' is twirling towards its final curtain in January, having been a feature of the London festive season for seven years. Venue: The Coliseum Address: St. Martin's Lane, WC2N 4ES Phone: 08719 110 200 Date: 16th December 2009 - 3rd January 2010 Time: Mon to Sat 7.30pm (except 21st Dec, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day | Sat & Sun mats 2.30pm | 22nd & 23rd, 28th-20th Dec 2.30pm | Christmas Eve 1pm, New Year's Eve 1pm & 5pm Pricing: £8-£60 Nearest Station: Leicester Square Tube The Nutcracker - Information  The Sleeping Beauty
Royal Opera House, WC2E 9DD 23rd October 2009 - 23rd January 2010 In 1946 the Vic-Wells Ballet, soon to become The Royal Ballet, performed a new production of The Sleeping Beauty to mark its move to the Royal Opera House. Traditionally this much-loved Tchaikovsky ballet has been performed at key moments in the Company's history and in 2006 the original staging was revived for its 75th anniversary. Monica Mason's production glided effortlessly into the Company's repertory hot off the ballet shoes of its 2006 debut, and it's back on the famous stage for a pre and post-Christmas run. Whilst retaining the classical beauty of Marius Petipa's original choreography, elements from Royal Ballet greats, past and present, including Ninette de Valois, Frederick Ashton and Christopher Wheeldon have been incorporated into the show. The result is a dazzling ballet that, like the fairytale it brings to life, will last through the ages. The set and costumes are based on the 1946 production and with the fusion of Tchaikovsky's melting score and the talent currently abounding within this brilliant company, The Sleeping Beauty is simply a must-see. Venue: Royal Opera House Address: Bow Street, WC2E 9DD Phone: 020 7304 4000 Date: 23rd October 2009 - 23rd January 2010 Time: First four Saturdays of run 1.30pm & 7pm | 23rd, 26th, 30th Oct, 6th, 11th, 12th, 16th, 19th, 24th Nov 7.30pm | 2010 dates - 18th-23rd Jan, Mon, Tue and Thu 7.30pm, Sat 1.30pm & 7pm Pricing: £5-£110 Nearest Station: Covent Garden Tube The Sleeping Beauty - Information  The Nutcracker
Royal Opera House, WC2E 9DD 26th November 2009 - 1st January 2010 Unless your name's Ebenezer Scrooge, this glittering production of Hoffman's The Nutcracker cannot fail to get you in the Christmas spirit. As sure as putting up fairy lights, filling Christmas stockings and having too much mulled wine at the office party, watching Clara dance in front of the Christmas tree at the Royal Opera House is a truly festive thing to do. It's hard to imagine a production more indulgently sumptuous than Peter Wright's restaging of Lev Ivanov's choreography to Tchaikovsky's famous score. From the heart-warming family party of the opening scene to the appearance of the magical kingdom, the action beckons you in, helped every ballet step of the way by Julie Trevelyan Oman's gorgeous, nostalgic designs out of the late 1800s. This is pure spectacle but The Royal Ballet pulls it off with such beauty and style that it's a Christmas cracker... Venue: Royal Opera House Address: Bow Street, WC2E 9DD Phone: 020 7304 4000 Date: 26th November 2009 - 1st January 2010 Time: 26th, 27th, 30th Nov, 2nd, 9th, 11th, 16th, 28th Dec 7.30pm | 5th & 23rd Dec 12noon | 12th, 29th, 30th Dec 2pm & 7pm | New Year's Eve 6.30pm | New Year's Day 5pm Pricing: £5-£97 Nearest Station: Covent Garden Tube The Nutcracker - Information  The Gruffalo
Apollo Theatre, W1D 7EZ 25th November 2009 - 10th January 2010 The Gruffalo is a classic that kiddies just love and a popular Christmas outing, returning to the London stage for the third year running. The loveable little mouse will once again be taking a "stroll through the deep, dark wood". Threatened by various predators, a snake, an owl and a gruffalo with "terrible tusks and terrible claws, and terrible teeth in his terrible jaws", the mouse outwits them all. The plot is enchanting and is told by Tall Stories with a winning simplicity. The cast of three manage to transform the stage with remarkably few props and a host of infectiously catchy songs. Many of the memorable lines become catchphrases and are repeated throughout the show in a bid to appeal to the innate 'again, again' approach favoured by children. By the end of the show they can raucously join in with their favourite bits. Recommended for children aged 3+ Venue: Apollo Theatre Address: 29 Shaftesbury Avenue, W1D 7EZ Phone: 0870 890 1101 Date: 25th November 2009 - 10th January 2010 Time: Tue to Sun 11am, Sat & Sun 1.30pm | (extra mats 18, 22-24, 29 & 30 Dec 1.30pm, 20 Dec, 3 Jan 3.30pm, 28 Dec 11am | no perf 8 & 9, 25 & 26, 31 Dec & 1 Jan Pricing: £11.50-£14.50 Nearest Station: Piccadilly Circus Tube The Gruffalo - Information  The Snowman
Peacock Theatre, WC2A 2HT 2nd December 2009 - 10th January 2010 Who can forget Aled Jones's dulcet tones singing 'Walking in the Air' in the animation of Raymond Briggs's beautifully-illustrated book 'The Snowman'. Aled has since moved on from his choirboy days (finding fame switching on Christmas lights, appearing in panto and presenting 'Songs of Praise') but the spirit of The Snowman lives on in this winter wonderland of a stage show, an annual festive fixture at the Peacock Theatre. This is the theatrical equivalent of going to see Father Christmas in his grotto except infinitely more spectacular - a young boy's snowman comes to life and the two of them fly across the sky with a full moon behind them, whizz around the stage on a sidecar motorcycle and meet a snow princess and the icy Jack Frost on their night-time adventure. When Father Christmas does appear on the scene it's in a shimmering woodland, surrounded by magical reindeer, dancing penguins and a host of snowy friends. As the first notes of 'Walking in the Air' fill the theatre, the heart-melting factor will not disappoint as awe-struck children (and adults) are mesmerised by the dazzling light show of snow. Suitable for children aged 2+ Venue: Peacock Theatre Address: Portugal Street, WC2A 2HT Phone: 08444 124322 Date: 2nd December 2009 - 10th January 2010 Time: 5th, 12th, 13th, 29th, 30th Dec 2009, 2nd & 9th Jan 2010 11am, 2.30pm and 7pm | 6th, 14th, 15th, 18th-24th, 27th, 28th, 31st Dec 2009, 3rd, 4th, 10th Jan 2010 11am & 2.30pm | 2nd & 8th Jan 2010 2.30pm & 7pm | 7th, 9th, 26th Dec 2009, 7th Jan 2010 2.30pm Pricing: £12-£30 Nearest Tube: Covent Garden / Holborn Tube The Snowman - Information |
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