There is no better time to be in Theatreland than Christmas. The lights are up, the streets around Covent Garden and the Strand are at their most magical, and the West End fills with festive shows for every age and taste, from twinkling family treats and Dickensian ghost stories to dazzling ballet and riotous comedy. Whether you are planning a grown-up night out, a trip with little ones or a get-together with the whole family, there is a festive show with your name on it. Here is our pick of the best West End Christmas shows to book this season.
Family Christmas classics
For the gentlest, most heart-warming festive magic, two shows lead the way. The Snowman returns to the Peacock Theatre, bringing Raymond Briggs’ beloved tale to life through dance and Howard Blake’s enchanting score, complete with the soaring “Walking in the Air”. It is a wordless wonder that has become a Christmas tradition for countless families, and its gentle charm works just as well for toddlers as for grandparents. For the very youngest, Room on the Broom flies into the Lyric Theatre, with Tall Stories’ warm and funny stage version of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s picture book, full of songs, puppetry and giggles for everyone aged three and up.
A Dickensian Christmas
No festive season is complete without a visit from the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future. The Old Vic’s acclaimed A Christmas Carol, adapted by Jack Thorne and directed by Matthew Warchus, is staged immersively with the audience wrapped around the action, brimming with carols and genuine festive spirit; it is one of the most moving nights out of the year. For a very different take, Mischief’s A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong brings the accident-prone Cornley Amateur Drama Society to Wyndham’s Theatre, tackling Dickens with gloriously disastrous results. One will warm your heart, the other will have you crying with laughter.
Festive dance and ballet
Christmas and ballet go hand in hand, and this year the choice is superb. English National Ballet’s dazzling new Nutcracker returns to the London Coliseum, with Tchaikovsky’s timeless score and all the magic of Clara’s Christmas Eve adventure. At Sadler’s Wells, Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella tells a thrilling wartime love story set in Blitz-torn London, danced to Prokofiev’s sweeping score for a strictly limited season. And at the atmospheric Wilton’s Music Hall, Arthur Pita’s The Little Match Girl blends dance, song and live music into a tender retelling of the Hans Christian Andersen tale, a beautiful antidote to the festive sparkle.
Something spectacular
If you are after jaw-dropping thrills, Cirque Alice at the Royal Festival Hall reimagines Alice in Wonderland as a circus spectacular, with aerialists, acrobats, contortionists and puppetry tumbling down the rabbit hole. It is a feast for the eyes and a brilliant festive outing for families who want something a little different from the usual Christmas fare, combining the wonder of a much-loved story with genuinely breathtaking live circus.
A traditional pantomime
And of course, it would not be Christmas without a panto. The Lyric Hammersmith’s much-loved family Cinderella, written by Joel Horwood, serves up show-stopping songs, side-splitting comedy and that classic Lyric twist. It is boisterous, big-hearted festive fun, and a perfect first taste of live theatre for younger audiences.
Booking tips for the festive season
Christmas shows are among the most popular of the year, and the best dates sell quickly, so it pays to book early. Many of these productions play strictly limited seasons that finish in early January, so check the run dates when you book. Matinees suit younger children better than late evening starts, and most of these theatres sit within easy reach of one another, so a festive show pairs perfectly with a wander past the Christmas lights. Browse everything that is on and book your seats on our shows page.
