London

Shows for little ’uns

Family shows

Dance

Pantomimes
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Shows for little ’uns

'Christmas Claytime'

Christmas Claytime
Popular clay-modelling and audience participation show from Indefinite Articles. Age 3-6.
Nov 24-Dec 29. Lyric Studio, Hammersmith (08700 500 511/ www.lyric.co.uk). £8, concs and under-16s £6, family ticket (four people incl at least one under-16) £24.

Little Cinders
Puppet version for younger children. Age 2-5 (baby-friendly performances Dec 16 and Jan 13).
Nov 10-Jan 27. Little Angel Theatre, Islington (020 7226 1787/ www.littleangeltheatre.com). £8, concs and under-16s £6.

The Night Before Christmas
A mouse goes to find Father Christmas. Age 3-7.
Dec 4-8. Pleasance Theatre, Islington (020 7609 1800/ www.pleasance.co.uk). £8, concs and under-16s £6, family ticket (four people, min two children) £24.
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Princess and the Pea
Witty and inventive adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's bedtime classic. Age 2-5.
Nov 21-Feb 22. Polka Theatre, Wimbledon. (020 8543 4888/ www.polkatheatre.com). £7.80, under-16s £6.80.

The Snowman
Established staging of Raymond Briggs' Christmas classic. Age 2+.
Dec 5-Jan 6. Peacock Theatre (0844 412 4322/www.sadlerswells.com). £12-£30, family ticket £90 (four people incl at least one under-16).
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Family shows
Beauty and the Beast
In a ‘tale of beastly brilliance’, the classic story gets a Lyric twist from Told by an Idiot. Age 7+.
Dec 7-Jan 5 (previews from Nov 29). Lyric Hammersmith (08700 500 511/ www.lyric.co.uk). £13-£27, previews £9, family ticket (four
people incl at least one under-16) £44.

'The BFG' © Robert Workman

The BFG
Roald Dahl's tale brought to life with music, puppetry and Polka flair. Age 6+.
Nov 11-Feb 9 (previews from Nov 9). Polka Theatre, Wimbledon. (020 8543 4888/ www.polkatheatre.com) weekdays £13, weekends £15, concs £10, previews £7.50.

The Big Ugly Monster and the Little Stone Rabbit
New adaptation of heartwarming Chris Wormell tale. Age 2-10.
Dec 12-30 (Wed-Sun) Pleasance Theatre, Islington (020 7609 1800/ www.pleasance.co.uk) £8, concs and under-16s £6, family ticket (four people, min two children) £25.
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'The Magic Flute'

A Christmas Carol (Ikrismas Kherol) & The Magic Flute (Impempe Yomlingo)
Township-set versions of Dickens’ festive fable of greed and Mozart opera in rep, in English and the languages of South Africa. Age 12+ (A Christmas Carol), 10+ (The Magic Flute).
Nov 29-Jan 19 (previews from Nov 20). Young Vic (020 7922 2922/ www.youngvic.org). Wweekdays £21.50, weekends £24.50, previews £18.50, under-16s £9.50.
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A Christmas Carol
Dickens’ seasonal favourite, with a cast of hundreds and infectious music and dancing. Age 4+.
Dec 3-Jan 12 (previews from Nov 28). Chickenshed Theatre, Southgate, (020 8292 9222/ www.chickenshed.org.uk). £10.50-£18, concs £9-£15.50, previews from £9.

Christmas Creatures by John Hegley
Bespectacled post-punk poet sings about the animal kingdom. Age 7+.
Dec 20-Jan 5. BAC Studio (020 7223 2223/www.bac.org.uk). £8, concs and under-16s £5.

'Cinderella' at Little Angel Theatre

Cinderella
Puppet version of the rags-to-riches fairy tale. Age 5+.
Nov 10-Jan 27. Little Angel Theatre, Islington (020 7226 1787/ www.littleangeltheatre.com). £10, concs and under-16s £8.

Danny the Champion of the World
Stage version of Roald Dahl classic about a boy and his dad. Age 5+.
Dec 11-29 and Jan 7-26. Bloomsbury Theatre (020 7388 8822/ www.thebloomsbury.com). £17.50, concs £12, under-16s £10, family ticket (four people) £49.50.

Duck!
Philip Osment’s contemporary retelling, set in north London, of a Hans Andersen fairyale. Age 7+.
Dec 1-Jan 27. Unicorn Theatre (020 7645 0560/www.unicorntheatre.com). £14.50, family ticket £40, previews (Dec 1-9) £5.

Giraffes Can’t Dance
Fun family show from Blunderbus about Gerald the giraffe at the jungle ball. All ages.
Dec 7-23. Watermans, Brentford (020 8232 1010/www.watermans.org.uk). £8, concs £6, under-2s free, £6.50 early-bird booking (before end of October).

The Gruffalo’s Child
Julia Donaldson’s follow-up to the fabulously successful Gruffalo books, lovingly transferred to the stage. Age 4+.
Nov 28-Jan 6. Arts Theatre, WC2 (0844 847 1608). £9.50-£14.50.
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The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Part I & Part II
Revival of landmark six-hour-plus David Edgar adaptation of early Dickens classic. Age 7+
Dec 5-Jan 27. Gielgud Theatre, Soho (0870 950 0915). £21.50-£51 (each part); parts I & II together £28-£83.
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Little Wolf’s Book of Badness
Junior lupine shenanigans based on the book by Ian Whybrow. Age 5+.
Dec 6-Jan 5. Hampstead Theatre (020 7722 9301/ www.hampsteadtheatre.com). £14.50, concs £13, under-16s £8.50, family ticket (four people, no more than two adults) £35.

Men of Steel
Kitchen utensil-based comedy puppet sensation. Age 6+.
Dec 6-Jan 6. Soho Theatre (0870 429 6883/www.sohotheatre.com). Dec 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, (2pm show only) £10, concs and under-26s £8, family ticket (four people) £30; all other performances £12.50, concs & under-26s £10.50, family ticket (four people) £40.
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'Raymond Brigg's Fungus the Bogeyman'

Raymond Brigg’s Fungus the Bogeyman
Family fun, filth and flatulence. Age 4+.
Nov 24-Jan 6. Artsdepot, North Finchley (020 8369 5454/ www.artsdepot.co.uk). £15, concs and under-16s £13, family ticket (four people incl at least one under-16 and one adult) £50.

The Tinderbox
London Bubble version of Hans Christian Andersen tale about a homecoming soldier. Age 6+.
Dec 5-Jan 5. The Albany, Deptford (020 8692 4446/www.thealbany.org.uk). £13, concs £9.50, under-16s £7.50, family tickets (two adults, two under-16s) £34.
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'Tintin'

Tintin
Revival of Young Vic production based on ‘Tintin in Tibet’. Age 6+.
Dec 6-Feb 23. Playhouse Theatre (0870 060 6631/ www.theambassadors.com/playhouse). £10-£40, under-16s half price on top two ticket prices.
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Varekai – Cirque du Soleil
New Cirque du Soleil production about a man who falls to earth. All ages.
Jan 6-Feb 3. Royal Albert Hall, (020 7589 8212/ www.royalalberthall.com). £30-£58, Fri matinee, students and senior citizens £5 off all seats.
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War Horse
Stage adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s novel, featuring live actors and life-sized puppets. Age 12+.
Oct 17-Jan 12 (previews from Oct 9). National Theatre Olivier (020 7452 3000/ www.nationaltheatre.org.uk).£10-£39.50, under-18s £16.50 all perfs. See Theatre
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Dance
Pinocchio
Quay Brothers-designed family dance production. Age 8+.
Dec 10-Jan 5. Linbury Studio Theatre, Royal Opera House (020 7304 4000/ www.roh.org.uk). £6-£22.50, under-18s £16, under-16s £10.

Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker!
Candy-coloured, hiply irreverent production of festive classic. All ages.
Dec 13-Jan 20. Sadler’s Wells (0844 412 4300/www.sadlerswells.com). £10-£49, family ticket (four people incl at least one under-16) £130 (not available Fri & Sat, or for any performance from Dec 21-Jan 2 incl).
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The Nutcracker
Opulent Royal Ballet production. Age 5+.
Dec 8-Jan 19. Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (020 7304 4000/ www.roh.org.uk). £5-£90.
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The Nutcracker
Gerald Scarfe-designed production of the Tchaikovsky favourite. Age 5+ (except child-friendly performance, which is suitable for all ages).
Dec 19-Jan 6.Coliseum (0870 145 0200/www.eno.org). £10-£60, child-friendly matinee Jan 3 – all under-16s free.
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The Snow Queen
London premiere of Michael Corder’s ballet inspired by Hans Christian Andersen, with music by Prokofiev. Age 5+ (except child-friendly performance which is suitable for all ages).
Dec 11-16. Coliseum (0870 145 0200/www.eno.org). £10-£60, child-friendly matinee Dec 12 all under-16s free.
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Swan Lake
Lavish traditional production of beautiful Tchaikovsky ballet classic. Age 5+.
Jan 8-19. Coliseum (0870 145 0200/www.eno.org) £10-£60.
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Pantomimes

'Dick Whittington' at Hackney Empire

Cinderella
New Stephen Fry version with music by Anne Dudley. All ages.
Dec 9-Jan 20 (previews from Dec 4). Old Vic, The Cut, SE1 (0870 060 6628/www.oldvictheatre .com). £10-£40, 100 £12 under-25s tickets for all perfs.
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Cinderella
Classic Christmas pantomime. All ages.
Dec 1-Jan 19. Theatre Royal Stratford East (020 8534 0310/ www.stratfordeast.com). Sat and school holidays £12, £19, concs and under-16s £8, £12; term-time weekdays £10, £16, concs and under-16s £6, £10.

Cinderella
The original kitchen-sink drama. Age 4+.
Dec 6-Jan 1. The Broadway, Barking (020 8507 5607/ www.thebroadwaybarking.com). £12, concs and under-16s £9.50; book two adult tickets and two child tickets and get a third child ticket free.

Cinderella
Perennial TV smoothie Nigel Havers is Baron Hardup. All ages.
Dec 7-Jan 20. Richmond Theatre (0870 060 6651/ www.theambassadors.com/richmond). £18.50-£25.50, concs and under-16s £3 off per ticket, family ticket (four people) £58.

Dick Whittington and his Cat
Pirate-themed mayoral race from Hackney Empire panto legend Susie McKenna. Age 3+.
Dec 1-Jan 12. Hackney Empire (020 8985 2424/ www.hackneyempire.co.uk). £9.50-£19.50, concs £8.50-£16.50.

Dick Whittington
Classic capital-set pantomime. Age 2+.
Dec 7-Jan 6. Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon (020 8688 9291/www.fairfield.co.uk) £21.50, concs and under-16s £19, family ticket (two adults, two children) £17.50 pp. All tickets subject to £1.50 booking fee, except in-person cash payments.

Dick Whittington
More London Mayor gags. Age 4+.
Dec 4-Jan 5. Greenwich Theatre (020 8858 7755/ www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk). £15-£21, concs £13-£19, selected saver perfs £11-£17, concs £9-£15, under-16s half price on all perfs, family ticket (four people, no more than two adults) £55.

Jack and the Beanstalk
New Barbican version of panto favourite with Mel Giedroyc, Steve Furst and one of Hear’say. All ages.
Dec 6-Jan 12 (previews from Dec 1. Barbican (0845 120 7550/ www.barbican.org.uk). £12-£35, previews £10-£30.
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Peter Pan
Starsky and Hutch’s Paul Michael Glaser is Captain Hook. Age 2+.
Dec 3-Jan 13 (previews from Nov 30). Churchill Theatre, Bromley (0870 060 6620/ www.theambassadors.com/churchill). £15-£22, previews all tickets £15, Dec 22-26 all tickets £22, concs and under-16s £2 of top two ticket prices (selected perfs only).

Peter Pan
With Hollyoaks' star David McAlister as the Cap'n. Age 3+
Nov 30-Jan 6. Millfield Theatre, Edmonton (020 8807 6680/www.millfieldtheatre.co.uk). £12-£15.50 concs £13.75 Family tickets (four people) £46-£56
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