Pleasance Theatre

Formerly a pantomime wasteland, Islington is – remarkably – home to two pantos this Christmas. There’s Jack and the Beanstalk over at the King’s Head, which offers a slightly more conventional spin on the boutique panto concept. And there’s this offering from the Pleasance, which offers a spin on The Wizard of Oz and has a cast slightly more stacked with queer nightlife stars, including drag performer Crayola the Queen. In somewhat insane pre-recorded guests cameos news, noted local politician Jeremy Corbyn will play The Wizard of Oz-lington, and Sir Ian McKellen will take on the mantle of washed up dog rockstar Toto (to make doubly clear, neither performs live in the show).  As with the King’s Head panto, this one will be divided into standard family peformances and a smaller number of adults only evening ones – be careful to check which you’re booking for before you book. 

Fancy yourself a bit of a comedian? Ever wanted to go on a game show? Now is your chance. The Audience Vs is a brand-new live comedy gaming show, where audience members go head to head with real-life celebs. Hosted by Glenn Moore, created by journalist Simon Parkin and produced by Taskmaster honchos Avalon, the game will see punters battle comedians in retro video games, including Mario Kart, Street Fighter and Grand Theft Auto. Previous guests include Phil Wang, Sarah Keyworth, Ellie Gibson, and Sooz Kempner, with upcoming guests including Frankie Ward, Iain Stirling, Jamali Maddix and John Robertson.