Family Christmas shows in London 2012

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Our guide to the best family-friendly shows and children's theatre this Christmas

Whether you are looking for shows specifically for children or theatre shows for the whole family, Time Out's guide to the best family Christmas shows in London has you covered. Make it a holiday season the kids will remember and hop along to one of these shows this Christmas.

Family | Children | Young children

Family Christmas shows

  • The Arabian Nights

    Nov 30-Jan 12 2013, Tricycle

    The second show in Indu Rubasingham's inaugural season as artistic director of the Tricycle is also the theatre's first family-friendly festive show. Writer and director Mary Zimmerman adapts the perennially affecting 'The...

  • Cinderella

    Dec 12-Jan 26 2013, St James Theatre

    It's the classic fairytale dream: downtrodden Cinders is a scrub, dust and polish away from winning the heart of Mr Right and telling her wicked stepmother (and obligatory ugly sisters) to stick it.

  • Cinderella the Midnight Princess

    Nov 30-Jan 6 2013, Rose Theatre Kingston

    Former Birmingham Rep boss Rachel Kavanaugh directs a family friendly play adaptation of the story of Cinderella.

  • A Christmas Carol

    Dec 22-30, Middle Temple Hall

    A second musical version of Dickens's 'A Christmas Carol' for London - as well as the West End's 'Scrooge' - in this brand new take on this eternally popular tale of festive redemption from Antic Disposition.

  • A Christmas Carol

    Dec 3-15, Waterloo East Theatre

    Puppet-heavy adaptation of of the Dickens classic, performed by Dominic Gerrard and directed by Tim Carroll (director of the current West End productions of 'Twelfth Night' and 'Richard III'). Ages 9+.

  • A Christmas Carol

    New
    Dec 10-16, St James Theatre

    Clive Francis revives his one-man take on Charles Dickens's classic seasonal tale – commissioned by the RSC – for a short run at St James Theatre's upstairs studio.

  • A Christmas Carol

    A Christmas Carol with Simon Callow

    Rating: 3/5
    Nov 29-Jan 6 2013, Arts Theatre

    Simon Callow returns to the Arts for a second festive run of his solo distillation of Dickens's sentimental classic.

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  • Feathers in the Snow

    Dec 5-Jan 5 2013, Southwark Playhouse

    The Southwark Playhouse closes the doors on it atmospheric current venue for the last time with a real treat: a family Christmas show from Philip Ridley, who has given the venue some of its biggest hits of late in 'Tender...

  • William Beech (Jack Butcher) & Tom Oakley (Oliver Ford-Davies)

    Goodnight Mister Tom

    Nov 22-Jan 26 2013, Phoenix Theatre

    Evacuated to the country in the run up to the Second World War, troubled young William is cheered up by his unlikely friendhsip with elderly shutaway Tom Oakley. Oliver Ford Davies stars as Tom in David Wood's Chichester...

  • Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty

    Dec 4-Jan 26 2013, Sadler's Wells

    Matthew Bourne's New Adventures company celebrates its twenty-fifth year with the belated third installment in Bourne's trilogy of classic Tchaikovsky ballets (following 1992's 'Nutcracker!' and 1995's 'Swan Lake')....

  • Midnight's Pumpkin

    Dec 8-Jan 13 2013, BAC

    The ever-enchanting Kneehigh theatre company return to BAC - where their revived 'The Red Shoes' gave them a big hit last year - with this riff on the Cinderella story. It's one of their kids' shows, but don't expect a...

  • Scrooge - The Musical

    Oct 24-Jan 5 2013, London Palladium

    Bridging the gap between 'The Wizard of Oz' and 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory', Bill Kenwright's family musical returns for the umpteenth time, as inevitable a fixture of the winter theatre scene as Christmas pudding...

  • Slava's Snowshow

    Dec 17-Jan 7 2013, Royal Festival Hall

    This dreamily anarchic clowning spectacular returns to the UK for the year in a row, pitching up at the Royal Festival Hall for a Christmas season. Ages 8+.

  • The Snowman

    Nov 28-Jan 6 2013, Peacock Theatre

    The Birmingham Rep's much loved adaptation of Raymond Briggs' book is practically more of a Christmas institution than the cartoon these days, returning to the Peacock for the fifteenth year in a trot. Ages 2+.

  • Viva Forever!

    Nov 27-Jun 1 2013, Piccadilly Theatre

    'Friendship never ends' declared the Spice Girls back in 1997, and though Posh, Ginger, Baby, B and C have gone some way towards challenging that statement over the last 15 years, the fact of the matter is that all five of...

  • Walking with Dinosaurs

    Rating: 4/5
    Dec 26-Jan 6 2013, The O2

    Okay, it's a liiiittle debatable as to whether you can really call this sort of extravagant spectacle 'theatre', but you know: GIANT ANIMATRONIC DINOSOARS. Plus some science.

  • Zippos Christmas Circus

    Fri Nov 23, Hyde Park

    The elves in Santa's workshop put on a colourful, family-friendly, 50-minute circus full of jugglers, trapeze artists, acrobats and clowns, in the centre of Hyde Park's Winter Wonderland.

Family | Children | Young children

Children's Christmas shows

  • 59 Minutes to Save Christmas

    Dec 15-Jan 6 2013, Barbican Centre

    Christmas trees are behaving strangely and the elves have gone mental: parents and kids are invited to join a mad dash round the Barbican in an effort to sort it all out. Ages 7+.

  • Cloud Man

    Dec 22-Jan 6 2013, Royal Festival Hall

    Join Cloudia on her quest to track down the elusive cloud man, a rare creature that lives up in the sky, in this kids' show from puppet-maker Ailie Cohen, performed by Jen Edgar. Ages 4-7.

  • Hansel and Gretel

    Dec 7-Jan 26 2013, National Theatre, Cottesloe

    When Katie Mitchell isn't directing massively cryptic productions of adult dramas, she does a neat line in zingy, inventive children's shows. For her third NT's children's Christmas show she teams up with playwright Lucy...

  • Horrible Histories: Barmy Britain

    Oct 27-Jan 6 2013, Garrick Theatre

    After a two-month overseas tour, Birmingham Stage Company returns to the Garrick with its entertaining, slightly too flippant adaptation of Terry Deary's lurid children's history books. Ages 6+.

  • The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming

    Nov 28-Dec 30, Roundhouse

    This terrifyingly named show about a distressed potato pancake marks the first time that the works of oddball American children's author Lemony Snicket (aka Daniel Handler) have made it to the British stage. Olivia Jacobs...

  • Pinocchio

    Nov 17-Jan 27 2013, Little Angel Theatre

    Little Angel Theatre and master puppet maker Peter O'Rourke fashion a spectacle from Carlo Collodi's classic tale of the wooden puppet who dreamed of being a real boy. Ages 6+.

  • The Prince and the Pauper

    Nov 25-Jan 13 2013, Unicorn Theatre

    Unicorn Theatre takes on Mark Twain's classic tale of identity swap, playwright Jemma Kennedy retelling the story of what happens when of poor Tom Canty and Prince Edward accidentally trade places. Ages 6+.

  • Room on the Broom

    Nov 21-Jan 13 2013, Lyric Theatre

    Tall Stories moves into the West End for Christmas with this jocular adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffer's best-selling children's book about a witch and her menagerie of helpful animals. Ages 3-8.

  • David Hunter (Horton the Elephant) and Joe Morrow (The Cat in the Hat)

    Seussical

    Dec 4-Jan 6 2013, Arts Theatre

    Twelve years after it opened on Broadway, the family-friendly musical based on the colourfully philosophic and insistently silly creations of Dr Seuss is finally getting its West End premiere.

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  • Tom's Midnight Garden

    Dec 11-Jan 19 2013, Bloomsbury Theatre

    For its fourth annual production at the Bloomsbury Theatre, Birmingham Stage Company adapts Philippa Pearce's beloved children's classic about a boy who travels back to the past when his clock strikes 13 times. Ages 4+.

  • The Wind in the Willows

    Nov 23-Feb 16 2013, Polka Theatre

    Poop-poop! Kenneth Grahame's family-friendly tale of anthropomorphised animals is reinvented by Polka for 5-11 year olds, with special Watch with Baby performances.

Family | Children | Young children

Christmas shows for young children

  • Boing!

    Dec 20-31, Lilian Baylis Studio

    A piece of dance theatre from Champloo Dance Company, Travelling Light and Bristol Old Vic that tries to capture the magic of staying up waiting for Santa on Christmas Eve. Ages 3+

  • Dogs Don't Do Ballet

    Dec 5-Jan 27 2013, Little Angel Theatre

    A small dog with a big personality, Biff just wants to be a ballerina. Little Angel wheels out beautiful puppets and evocative music in this silly, but fun, children's comedy. Ages 2-6.

  • The Elves and the Shoemaker

    Dec 8-Jan 2 2013, Jacksons Lane

    Following last year's 'The Enormous Turnip', Stuff & Nonsense return to Jacksons Lane with a new take on a much-loved festive story.

  • Father Christmas

    Nov 30-Jan 5 2013, Lyric Hammersmith

    It's a festive double bill at the Lyric this year. This show -which plays alongside panto 'Cinderella' -adapts the Raymond Briggs classic specifically for under-6's. Pins and Needles have specially commissioned original...

  • The Gruffalo

    Dec 8-Jan 6 2013, Artsdepot

    Join Mouse on an adventurous journey through the deep, dark wood as as Tall Stories' musical adaptation of the award-winning children's book returns for the umpteenth time. Ages 3+.

  • The House Where Winter Lives

    Nov 29-Jan 13 2013, Discover Children's Story Centre

    Welcome to a cottage in the middle of a wintery wonderland where two forest dwellers need help to find a very important key. This children's Christmas show is presented by Punchdrunk Enrichment, an offshoot of the mighty...

  • In a Pickle

    Dec 6-Jan 3 2013, Unicorn Theatre

    Children's theatre visionaries Oily Cart team up with the Royal Shakespeare Company to present a voyage through the landscapes of Shakespeare's imagination for tiny theatre-lovers. Ages 2-5.

  • Little Charley Bear and His Christmas Adventure

    Dec 5-23, Ambassadors Theatre

    Furry festive song-and-dance fare as the CBeebies favourite makes his stage debut, just in time for Christmas. Ages 0-7.

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  • Rumpelstiltskin

    Dec 8-28, Albany Theatre

    South eastern children's company Hiccup Theatre calls in at the Albany for Christmas with kids' theatre guru Mike Kenny's new adaptation of the dark German fairytale about a mischievous imp. Ages 3-7.

  • Stick Man

    Stick Man

    Nov 17-Jan 6 2013, Leicester Square Theatre

    Scamp Theatre returns with its splendid puppet-driven family adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's popular book. The hapless Stick Man's domestic idyll - living up a tree with his Stick Lady Love and their...

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  • Sooty in Space

    Dec 21-Jan 5 2013, Duchess Theatre

    Having made a return to TV last year, retro puppet trio Sooty, Sweep and Soo are also making a return to the stage for a festive production featuring 3D action. Richard Cadell is keeping Sooty and the gang in check as they...

  • Too Many Penguins?

    Oct 17-Feb 15 2013, Polka Theatre

    A stage full of penguins and one grumpy polar bear set up this Artic kids adventure for the under-4's


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Comments & ratings

Rated as: 0/5 (0 ratings)

  • Useful to have a lot of information about children's shows, but please always put the age range. I'm looking for something for grandchildren between 5 and 7 and it's no use getting interested in the description of a show unless I know immediately what age it is suitable for.

    Anne Tue Nov 27 2012
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  • It's a very useful information for those people who's not a local. Fabulous... Now I feels much more relief after being read through this useful link. We are planning to travel from Hong Kong to UK but just only for few days ( from 25th till 29th ) Our little wee boy is just only three an half years old. We are in hoping to bring him something special for this Christmas. As we will be staying at the Sofitel Airport Hotel ( Terminal 5 ) for five nights. If there is any possible to get more information from your website ( what we can do things with the young kid during thiis Christmas time ) period ) Once again, thank you for your kind attention & look forward to receiving your earliest reply & with our best regards to you all.

    Yvonne Chiu Mon Dec 5 2011
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