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Nottingham's pantomimes have become the stuff of legends, and with good reason! Nottinghamshire hosts a variety of pantomimes and entertainment across various acclaimed theatre and performance spaces to bring some much-needed joy this festive season!
Get into the Christmas spirit and see Dick Whittington from Saturday 9th December 2023 at Theatre Royal, starring Panto legend Shane Richie and TV personality Dr Ranj star in the only show paved with gold! Packed with all the traditional pantomime ingredients Nottingham audiences know to expect, don't miss the action-packed pantomime that promises to be full of laugh-out-loud comedy, stunning scenery, beautiful costumes and plenty of boos and hisses. There are also various accessible shows available including BSL, Relaxed and Captioned performances.
Polish your glass slippers and line up your pumpkins for you shall go to the ball this Christmastime at Cinderella! The Nottingham Playhouse's legendary Panto returns in 2023 from Friday 1st December with the most enchanting story of them all. You’ll be booing the Ugly Sisters, swooning at Prince Charming, marvelling at the Fairy Godmother and enjoying an added touch of fabulous glamour and glitz from Nottingham’s favourite panto dame John Elkington. With live music, dazzling dance and comedy chaos galore, it’s the perfect festive treat for all the family.
Catch Sleeping Beauty at Nottingham Arts Theatre on Saturday 2nd - Sunday 17th December. Written by the award-winning duo Amanda Hall and Matt Wesson, this traditional panto tale guarantees festive fun for all the family. How dangerous can a spinning wheel be? Well for Princess Aurora… just one prick of her finger on a spindle could have deadly consequences, all because a wicked fairy sought revenge on her family and their kingdom! Luckily, for the Princess she has protection from friendly fairies, fabulous friends, and one rather fair-faced fella.
You can also catch A Christmas Carol - A Ghost Story at Nottingham Playhouse. Adapted by Mark Gatiss and staying true to the heart and spirit of the original novel, A Christmas Carol – a Ghost Story is filled with Dickensian, spine-tingling special effects; are you brave enough to join? Picture the scene: it's Christmas Eve. As the cold, bleak night draws in, the avaricious Ebenezer Scrooge is confronted by the spirit of his former business partner Jacob Marley. Bound in chains as punishment for a lifetime of greed, the unearthly figure explains it isn't too late for Scrooge to change his miserly ways in order to escape the same fate, but first he'll have to face three more eerie encounters. For a better idea of what you can expect, read our review of the 2021 performance here.
Roll up, roll up for Morgan and West's Great Big Christmas Magic Show at Lakeside Arts on Saturday 2nd or Sunday 3rd December. You can expect gawps, gasps, and guffaws in this relentlessly funny and fantastical magic-filled extravaganza. Following national tours with Unbelievable Science and their Great Big Christmas Magic Show, this season they're hitting the road with a brand-new magic show full of their trademark wit, whimsy, and wall-to-wall silliness. Please note the show is suitable for ages 6+.
Peter Pan: The Arena Spectacular is taking over the Motorpoint Arena Nottingham on Tuesday 2nd & Wednesday 3rd January 2024. This adaptation of J.M Barrie's much-loved tale will fly into Arenas for a spectacular spin on the timeless classic adventure. Although the show has traditional pantomime elements, it is so much more - including a stellar cast with Boy George debuting as Captain Hook! The cast of fifty includes a dozen cirque performers, dazzling aerial stunts, a giant battle where the audience throw cannon balls at Hook's ship and a death-defying escape from a locked water tank, plus a large troupe of Irish and Highland dancers.
Catch A Christmas Carol at Southwell Minster on Saturday 2nd December and be swept back in time nearly two centuries to the world of Scrooge's London. A Christmas Carol follows the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge as he embarks upon a journey through his past, present, and future, learning along the way to appreciate the true meaning of Christmas. Filled with music and amazing dancing, this is sure to make your Christmas feel extra special. You can also enjoy The Magic of Christmas at the Minster on Saturday 16th December where you can enjoy an evening of festive cheer with Southwell Minster Choir and the Bold as Brass Octet. Including carol sing-alongs and well-known Christmas favourites, this is guaranteed to send you out full of the Magic of Christmas.
Rufford Abbey Country Park are hosting some fantastic events this Winter, including a serenaded Festive Afternoon Tea at Rufford Abbey on Sunday 26th November and Carols by Candlelight on Sundays throughout December. These events are perfect for those looking for a more understated event, while getting into the Christmas spirit.
Click here for more Christmas Events in Nottinghamshire 2023 - 2024.
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