best for PANTO
It’s the perfect festive treat, and some of our fave stars are in Panto this Christmas (oh, yes they are!)…
CINDERELLA, NEW WIMBLEDON THEATRE (8 DEC – 7 JAN 2024)
You shall go to the ball, with spectacular family pantomime Cinderella. Joining the fab-u-lous Wicked Stepmother – with best columnist and Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood, plus comedian and magician Pete Firman as Buttons, returning for his third Wimbledon panto. Says Craig: ‘You all know how much I love a good dress-up – especially when I’m playing a villain!’ Get tickets here: atgtickets.com/ shows/cinderella/new-wimbledon-theatre/calendar/
ALADDIN, CROYDON THEATRE (16 DEC – 7 JAN 2024)
Former EastEnders and Holby City star – as well as Strictly veteran, Davood Ghadami, heads up the cast here as the villainous Abanazar in this year’s Croydon panto production of Aladdin, which also features Kiera Nicole as Princess Jasmine and Charlie Guest as Wishee Washee. Grab your ticket for that magic carpet ride, at fairfield.co.uk/events/aladdin-panto-01
PETER PAN, LONDON PALLADIUM (9 DEC – 14 JAN 2024)
The London Palladium’s annual mega-panto returns, and if you’ve been paying attention over the years, you’ll not be surprised to hear that once again, its core cast of Julian Clary, Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers and Gary Wilmot will be returning to try and outwit each other (the hilarious Clary always wins!), joined this year by Rob Madge and the one and only Jennifer Saunders, in her panto debut. Wicked, witty and colourful, you won’t be disappointed! For tickets, see palladiumpantomime.com.
JACK AND THE BEANSTALK, OPERA HOUSE MANCHESTER (2 – 31 DEC)
Hop over to Manchester to see Jason Manford do his thing, back by popular demand to lead the cast of Jack and the Beanstalk in the title role, joined by returning panto favourite Ben Nickless as Silly Simon, star of stage and screen Myra DuBois, and West-End performers Samara Casteallo and Emma Williams. To book, see atgtickets. com/shows/jack-andthe-beanstalk/operahouse-manchester/ calendar/2023-12-02
SLEEPING BEAUTY, NORWICH THEATRE (9 DEC – 7 JAN)
Wakey wakey, rise and shine... It’s Norwich Theatre’s pantomime! We all think we know the story of Sleeping Beauty. When our princess turns 18, she pricks her finger on a spinning wheel, cursed to sleep for eternity unless she can be awoken by her ‘true loves kiss’. Enter the
