London's panto scene bounds back onto the stage for Christmas 2024, 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 😉
Aladdin at Lyric Hammersmith
Award-winning writer Sonia Jalaly and director Nicholai La Barrie team up again, to bring this hip take on Aladdin to west London, replete with chart-topping choons. The Lyric knows how to deliver a natty panto, and this one won't be an exception.
Aladdin at Lyric Hammersmith, 16 November 2024-5 January 2025. Age 6+. Relaxed performance 3 December, audio described performance 12 December, open captioned performance 18 December, BSL performance 27 December.
Napoleon: Un Petit Pantomime, Jermyn Street Theatre
The first Napoleonic war themed panto we've ever featured on this roundup, Napoleon: Un Petit Pantomime comes from the Charles Court Opera (who previously gave us award-winning Odyssey: A Heroic Pantomime), and sounds like a high-brow — but ultimately still hilarious — show. Bring along your Enfants Terribles — they'll be anything but Les Misérables after watching this.
Napoleon: Un Petit Pantomime, Jermyn Street Theatre, 21 November 2024-5 January 2025
Dick Whittington and His Cat at Greenwich Theatre
Anthony Spargo — who's written for the Horrible Histories stage shows — has penned the script for this take on the tale about London's first Lord Mayor, so you can expect gags and songs galore in this panto paved with gold.
Dick Whittington and His Cat at Greenwich Theatre, 22 November 2024-5 January 2025.
Pinocchio at Stratford East
The Italian fairtytale about a puppet who wants to be a real boy is transported to east London, in a story where Blue Rinse Fairy and Krik Krak the cricket try to keep Pinocchio off the crooked path. As usual, Stratford puts it own twist on the panto format, and as usual, it'll be a riot.
Pinocchio at Stratford East, 23 November 2024-4 January 2025. Captioned performance 20 December, audio described performance 21 December, BSL-interpreted performance 21 December, relaxed performance 4 January.
Dick Whittington and His Cat at Hackney Empire
The great panto dame Clive Rowe drags it up once again at Hackney's outrageously funny panto, this time as Sarah the Cook. Elsewhere, in this London-centric panto, Graham MacDuff is King Rat, Beth Sindy is Fairy Bowbells, Kandaka Moore plays Dick Whittington, and Kat B is Tommy the Cat. We highly recommend Hackney's panto as one that'll make the adults roar as much as the kiddos. This one's extra special, the venue's 25th.
Dick Whittington and his Cat at Hackney Empire, 23 November 2024-5 January 2025. Relaxed and dementia-friendly performance on 7 December, signed performances on 7 and 19 December, audio described performance on 8 December.
Robin Hood at The Arts Centre, Hounslow
The Arts Centre celebrates its tenth professional panto with a swashbuckling, arrow-slinging rendition of Robin Hood. Laugh-out-loud comedy routines, show-stopping songs and heaps of audience participation are on the cards for the venue's biggest panto production to date.
Robin Hood at The Arts Centre, Hounslow, 28 November-30 December 2024.
Wolfed at The Royal Vauxhall Tavern
"Red Riding Hood... With Extra Bite". Prepare to cackle with laughter at this X-rated take on the traditional fairytale, from the people who brought us Slipped, Rubbed, Goosed, Pricked, Cracked and Tossed. Wolfed (spotting 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.
Wolfed at The Royal Vauxhall Tavern, 29 November 2024-5 January 2025.
Cinderella (family version), King's Head Theatre, Islington
"In drizzly London, it’s hard to find romance these days — everyone is so busy! Cinderella needs help to leave her life of drudgery and explore a world full of adventures." There's enchanting puppetry from Little Angel Theatre at King's Head Theatre's family version of Cinderella, along with songs, slapstick comedy and plenty of audience participation.
Cinderella (family version) at King's Head Theatre, Islington, 30 November 2024-5 January 2025.
Sleeping Beauty, Broadway, Catford
Once upon a time in Lewishtonia, a princess is born. Not invited to the celebration party, wicked fairy Carabosse casts an evil spell which changes the Princess's life forever — but can she take charge of her own destiny? Written and directed by Susie McKenna, this family panto promises "colourful characters, knockabout comedy, show-stopping routines and no shortage of magic and sparkle".
Sleeping Beauty, Broadway, Catford, 4-31 December 2024
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, 4 December 2024-4 January 2025.
Lord of the Rims - An Adult Panto at Two Brewers, Clapham
Do not adjust your screen. This panto really is called Lord of the Rims. It's the new one from the makers of Harry Poppers, Star Whores, and The Hunger Gays after all. What's it about? In the land of Morden, in the fires of Mount Poon, the dark Lord Hardon is searching for the one with the power to destroy his ring. Enter Frodo Shaggins and his merry band of misfits.... This is a panto packed with enough double entendres to make Julian Clary blush.
Lord of the Rims - An Adult Panto, 5-28 December 2024.
Snow White: London's Naughtiest Adults Only Pantomime!
Vauxhall seems to be the place for adult pantos. As well as Wolfed (see above), there's Snow White: London's Naughtiest Adults Only Pantomime!, which claims to be "bigger, bolder and ruder" than before. And if you don't believe that, read the opening gambit: "Join Snow White, the evil Queen Chlamydia, the very dashing Prince Donkey Dick of Soho, hilarious Magic Mirror, Herpes the Henchman, and the most outrageous Seven Dwarves in pantomime history!". Feel good anthems like I Will Survive, You're The One That I Want and Dancing Queen provide the soundtrack.
Snow White: London's Naughtiest Adults Only Pantomime! at Garden Theatre!, 6-22 December 2024.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at Churchill Theatre, Bromley
The semi-celebs are out in force for Bromley's big panto: TV doctor and presenter Dr Ranj plays The Man in the Mirror, while pop and musical theatre star Gareth Gates is The Prince, in the Churchill Theatre's spin on Snow White, a pantomime with plenty of audience participation.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at Churchill Theatre, 7 December 2024-5 January 2025. Relaxed performance 17 December, signed performance 19 December, audio described performance 21 December, captioned performance 23 December.
Jack and the Beanstalk at New Wimbledon Theatre
Singer Alexandra Burke and comedy stalwart Joe Pasquale headline Wimbledon's blockbuster panto this year, in a story that forever reminds us that buying dodgy old beans off some grifter always works out for the best in the end. "Laughs, music, special effects, magic beans and bundles of audience participation" are on the docket, at what is one of south London's best-loved annual pantos.
Jack and the Beanstalk at New Wimbledon Theatre, 7 December 2024-5 January 2025.
Beauty and the Beast at Richmond Theatre
Maureen Lipman's had some serious credits in her time, including Educating Rita and The Pianist, so it'll be a treat to see her tread the boards as Mrs Potty in Richmond's Beauty and the Beast panto. Magician and comedian Pete Firman is Silly Billy, while Ben Stock graduates from 19 years playing an Ugly Sister, becoming Dame Betty Bouffant. A tale as old as time it might be, but you haven't seen Beauty and the Beast quite like this before.
Beauty and the Beast at Richmond Theatre, 7 December 2024-5 January 2025.
Robin Hood 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 wearing. (There are behind-the-scenes videos and everything.) The master of double-entendres 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 old gang are joined by Loose Woman Jane McDonald, as Maid Marion.
Robin Hood at The Palladium, 7 December 2024-12 January 2025. Signed performance 31 December, audio described performance 9 January, captioned performance 10 January.
Goldie Frocks and the Bear Mitzvah at JW3, Finchley Road
"Join Goldie, the best dressmaker in all of the East End, as she zips her way through London on a quest for some furry fabrics. Along the way she meets Mama Behr and Baby Behr as they prepare for the best bear mitzvah that Piccalilli Circus has ever seen!" JW3 is back with another Jewish-themed panto, which can be enjoyed by the whole family.
Goldie Frocks and the Bear Mitzvah at JW3, 8 December 2024-5 January 2025.
Cinderella (adults only), King's Head Theatre, Islington
Adults, and adults alone, are invited to the grown up version of the King's Head story of Cinderella (see earlier on in this list). There's still puppetry from Little Angel Theatre. There's still slapstick comedy, romance and audience participation. But the jokes are definitely bluer.
Cinderella (family version) at King's Head Theatre, Islington, 5-19 December 2024.
Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs at Fairfield Halls, Croydon
Mia Overfield takes on the titular role in Croydon's big panto this year, with Kellie Shirley (EastEnders, Biff & Chip, Casualty) starring as the Wicked Queen, Jamie Steen playing Dame Dilly Donut and Charlie Guest returning to Fairfield Halls as Muddles. Great songs, stunning dance routines and plenty of laughter are in the offing for this Cronx spin on Snow White.
Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs at Fairfield Halls, 13 December 2024-5 January 2025. Captioned performance on 27 December, relaxed performance on 3 January.
The Little Mermaid at Wandsworth Civic Suite
With tickets starting at just £14, Wandsworth's Little Mermaid panto (a story you don't see so much on the stage at Christmas) is one of the thriftiest in town, but nonetheless promises to pack in the silly jokes, vibrant scenery and glitzy costumes. A 'chill out room' is available too, providing a quiet space while the panto's in full swing.
The Little Mermaid at Wandsworth Civic Suite, 14-22 December 2024. Relaxed performances on 15 and 19 December.
