Christmas pantomimes in London

Dame-par-excellence Clive Rowe and Hackney panto go together like mince pies and brandy butter, so it's great to see him back on board for this year's 'Jack and the Beanstalk'. He'll play Jack's mum Dame Daisy Trot, who packs off her son to sell the family cow, and gets rewarded with a fistful of mysterious beans. Hackney Empire has built up an enviable reputation for serving up one of London's best pantos, mixing glittery backdrops and traditional humour with plenty of nods to the 21st century world beyond the theatre's doors. 

Down-to-earth East London venue Hoxton Hall's panto for 2020 is 'Sleeping Beauty'. The atmospheric former music hall has teamed up with Coventry-based Imagine Theatre to offer a kid-friendly story of a dozy princess. Ages three-plus.

The impressively multi-talented Vikki Stone is already a musical theatre actor, songwriter, comedian, and panto villain par excellence. She unleashed a memorable performance as Abanazer in the Lyric Hammersmith's 2016 'Aladdin'; now, she's returning to the magic carpet-flying fairytale, this time as author. The Lyric panto is typically one of London's edgiest and best; this year's offering will feature a live band, plenty of gags, and traditional audience participation galore. Ages six-plus. 

Make Christmas more magical with a trip to one of London's many family-friendly Christmas shows. There's theatre big and bright enough to keep little ones enthralled and performances sweet and subtle enough to entertain the whole family. Find the one that all of your lot will love and book tickets so you don't miss out.