London's panto scene bounds back onto the stage for Christmas 2025, camper and funnier than ever — oh yes it does! Here's our pick of the biggest and best pantomimes happening in London's theatres this season. Most are family friendly, but a handful are strictly for the big kids 😉
Jack and the Beanstalk at Lyric Hammersmith
Award-winning writer Sonia Jalaly and director Nicholai La Barrie team up once again, this time bringing a hip take on Jack and the Beanstalk to west London — replete with side-splitting humour and chart-topping choons. The Lyric knows how to deliver a natty panto, and this one will be no exception.
Jack and the Beanstalk at Lyric Hammersmith, 15 November 2025-4 January 2026. Age seven+. Relaxed performance 2 December, signed performance 5 December, audio described performance 11 December, open captioned performance 13 December.
Mama Goose at Stratford East
As is its wont, Stratford East rips up the rulebook, putting its unique east London twist on the panto format — and this year it's the tale of a magical golden-egg-laying goose. Tickets are flying off the shelves for this one, with many dates sold out, so take a, er, gander while you can.
Mama Goose at Stratford East, 21 November 2025-3 January 2026. Audio described performance and signed performance 13 December, captioned performance 19 December, relaxed performance 3 January.
Cinderella at Hackney Empire
Kat B and George Heyworth step into the shoes of the Ugly Sisters for Hackney's adaptation of Cinderella, while long-time panto dame Clive Rowe turns to directorial duties. The costumes will be extravagant, the music will be rambunctious and — if previous pantos are anything to go by — some poor parent's going to end up being dragged onto the stage.
Cinderella at Hackney Empire, 22 November-31 December 2025. Relaxed and dementia-friendly performance on 6 December, signed performances on 6 and 18 December, audio described performance on 7 December.
Jack and the Beanstalk, King's Head Theatre (family version and adults only version), Islington
"Heroes don't always wear capes... but ours occasionally wears a cowpat!" Prepare to join Jack on a moo-vellous journey up the beanstalk — along with lashings of songs, slapstick and audience participation — in this pub theatre production that's accessible for all ages.
Running alongside it is a version of the same panto that's strictly for the grown-ups. Double check you're booking the right one, or forever reside on Santa's naughty list!
Jack and the Beanstalk at King's Head Theatre, 23 November 2025-4 January 2026.
Jack and the Beanstalk - Adults Only at King's Head Theatre, 27 November 2025-3 January 2026.
Growled at The Royal Vauxhall Tavern
The story of Beauty and the Beast continues — albeit in strictly non-Disney fashion — at the famed RVT panto. Prepare to cackle with laughter at this X-rated take on the traditional fairytale, from the people who brought us Wolfed, Slipped, Rubbed, and Tossed. Growled (spot a theme?) delivers a cavalcade of hit songs, and "more jokes per minute than any other show". Many of them off-colour, we'd presume. Take the kids to this panto and they'll be in social care by New Year's.
Growled at The Royal Vauxhall Tavern, 25 November 2025-3 January 2026.
Peter Pan: A Pantomime Adventure at Greenwich Theatre
Anthony Spargo — who's written for the Horrible Histories stage shows, so it's fair to say knows his onions — has penned the script for this take on the tale about the boy who never grew up. Expect gags and songs galore in this pirate-heavy panto.
Peter Pan: A Pantomime Adventure, 28 November 2025-11 January 2026.
Mother Goose at The Arts Centre, Hounslow
The Arts Centre has an 'eggs-stravaganza' of a show in store, with this production of Mother Goose, promising laugh-out-loud comedy routines, show-stopping songs and heaps of audience participation. Previous pantos at the venue have been nominated at the Pantomime Awards for 'Best Ensemble' and 'Best Small Venue'.
Mother Goose at The Arts Centre, Hounslow, 1-30 December 2025. Relaxed performance 15 December.
Potted Panto at Wilton's Music Hall, Shadwell
Crush multiple pantomimes for the price of one, as Potted Panto sweeps you through Aladdin, Dick Whittington, Cinderella, and scores more, in 80 rib-tickling minutes. Sounds like an exhausting job for the cast, and with luck, it'll tire out your hyperactive kids too. The fact this is on at the gorgeous Wilton's Music Hall is a smashing bonus.
Potted Panto at Wilton's Music Hall, 3 December 2025-3 January 2026.
Star Whores: An Adult Panto at Two Brewers, Clapham
In a Gay-laxy far far away... Yes, this LGBTQ+ panto really is called Star Whores, and no, it's really NOT one to take the kids to. Coming from the folks who brought you Harry Poppers, The Hunger Gays and Lord of the Rims, this is a cosmically crass panto packed with enough double entendres to make Julian Clary blush.
Star Whores: An Adult Panto, 4-30 December 2025.
Beauty and the Beast at Churchill Theatre, Bromley
The semi-celebs are out in force for Bromley's big panto — including Britain’s Got Talent star Jamie Leahey as Silly Billy, and 'still-going-strong' Su Pollard as Mrs Potty. Promises to be a beaut of a show.
Beauty and the Beast at Churchill Theatre, 6 December 2025-4 January 2026. Relaxed performance 16 December, BSL performance 18 December, captioned performance 20 December, audio described performance 3 January.
Robin Hood at New Wimbledon Theatre
Ashley Banjo and Diversity band together to become the Merry Men (and Women) for New Wimbledon Theatre's dance-tastic production of Robin Hood. Aside from what should prove to be some super slick choreography, there's comic relief and magic from panto fave Pete Firman.
Robin Hood at New Wimbledon Theatre, 6 December 2025-4 January 2026. Audio described and signed performance 17 December.
Cinderella at Richmond Theatre
Boom boom! It's going to be interesting to see how Basil Brush actually works on a full sized stage — not just the fact he's small, but because the cheeky fox requires certain assistance getting about (and for that matter, talking). Still, this take on Cinderella, starring Helen George of Call the Midwife fame as the Fairy Godmother, promises good old fashioned fun for all ages.
Cinderella at Richmond Theatre, 6 December 2025-4 January 2026. Signed performance 11 December, audio described performance 2 January.
Sleeping Beauty at The Palladium, Oxford Circus
One of the festive highlights of the year is finding out which OTT outfits Julian Clary will flounce out onto the Palladium stage in. In Sleeping Beauty, the master of the double-entendre is ably abetted by some of panto's great veterans, including Nigel Havers and America's Got Talent winner, ventriloquist Paul Zerdin. This year, the usual gang are joined by Catherine Tate, in case you're bovvered.
Sleeping Beauty at The Palladium, 6 December 2025-11 January 2026. Signed performance 31 December, audio described performance 8 January, captioned performance 9 January.
Cinderella and the Matzo Ball at JW3, Finchley Road
In case the title hadn't flagged it for you, JW3's yearly panto comes with a distinctly Jewish bent, although of course all and sundry are welcome to enjoy this family-friendly show. Dazzling costumes, colourful sets, foot-tapping songs and indiscriminately-thrown Chanukah gelt are promised.
Cinderella and the Matzo Ball at JW3, 7 December 2025-4 January 2026.
Dick Whittington and his Catford Cat, Broadway, Catford
This year's Catford panto is a particularly apt one — given that this moggy-monikered south east London locale is known for its massive sculpture of a cat. This take on the story about London's best-known mayor (well, apart from Boris Johnson perhaps) is given a Windrush twist, which should prove both fun and informative. Judging from the spiel on the website, there'll be one or two cat puns along the way — hope you're feline up to it.
Dick Whittington and his Catford Cat, Broadway, Catford, 9-31 December 2025. Signed performance 15 December.
Beauty and the Beast at Fairfield Halls, Croydon
EastEnders' Ellie Dadd plays Belle in this rendition of Beauty and the Beast, her co-stars including Charlie Guest (returning to Fairfield Halls once again), and Jamie Steen as the outrageous Polly La Plonk. Great songs, stunning dance routines and plenty of laughter are in the offing. Probably a joke or two at Croydon's expense as well.
Beauty and the Beast at Fairfield Halls, 12 December 2025-4 January 2026. Relaxed performance on 2 January.
Snow White at Emerald Theatre, Victoria Embankment
It's the fifth anniversary of TuckShop's all-drag panto, as performed by the fabulous likes of Kyran Thrax, Kitty Scott-Claus and Kate Butch. They're helping to break in the Emerald Theatre (which opened earlier this year) with a gloriously camp retelling of Snow White that's strictly for the grown-ups.
Snow White at Emerald Theatre, Victoria Embankment, 15 December 2025-4 January 2026.
Sinderella at Scala, King's Cross
Billed as London's 'naughtiest' panto, (have they heard of see Star Whores, mentioned above?) Sinderella arrives relatively late to this year's panto scene — only kicking off on 19 December. It's a pop (and filth)-powered panto with Cinderella's true love taking the form of Prince Donkey Dick of Euston. It's a kind hearted panto though, raising money for the Terrence Higgins Trust.
Sinderella at Scala, 19 December 2025-11 January 2026.
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