December Preview: 40 Crackers To See You Through Christmas

Tis the season to feel jolly and what better way to feel that way than by some amazing theatre to enjoy it. While December can be quieter for new shows opening, this December is full of lots to stuff your face with – both festive shows and non-seasonal ones for anyone who fancies themselves as a bit of a Grinch. Here are 40 crackers you can enjoy in December (not counting the millions of pantomimes opening all over the country)

STUCK (Duchess Theatre)

2nd December

This new musical debuts with a rehearsed reading, written by David Hunter who also stars in the concept show.

Tickets from https://ticketing.nimaxtheatres.com/tickets/series/dusrr01c

PETER PAN (Phoenix Theatre)

2nd December – 6th January

TuckShop’s fourth annual drag panto takes over the Phoenix for 7 performances only, on Monday evenings with extra matinees on Christmas week. Reigning RuPaul’s Drag Race UK winner Ginger Johnson stars as Hook alongside Kitty Scott-Claus, Cheryl Hole and Kate Butch.

Tickets available here

THE LITTLE FOXES (Young Vic)

2nd December – 8th February

The new revival of Lillian Hellman’s play stars Anne-Marie Duff alongside a cast that includes Mark Bonnar and Eleanor Worthington-Cox

Tickets from www.youngvic.org 

BETTE & JOAN (Park Theatre)

3rd December – 4th January

Nothing says Christmas like a good argument and what could be more iconic than the famous celebrity feud between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford? Greta Scacchi and Felicity Dean star as the Oscar winning actresses.

Tickets from www.parktheatre.co.uk

THE LAST DAYS OF LIZ TRUSS (White Bear Theatre)

3rd – 14th December

The world premiere of Greg Wilkinson’s latest play enjoys a very short run… fittingly enough given the subject matter, with Emma Wilkinson Wright playing the short-lived Prime Minister on her last morning at Number 10… not to be confused with her first morning the month before.

Tickets from https://www.whitebeartheatre.co.uk/whatson/the-last-days-of-liz-truss

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM (Barbican Theatre)

3rd December – 18th January

Following an acclaimed run at The RSC earlier this year (including 5 stars from us), the production moves to London with a cast including Matthew Baynton as Bottom

Tickets from www.rsc.org.uk

JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT (UK Tour)

3rd December – 8th August

It was red and yellow and green and brown… but enough about my Christmas tree, Andrew Lloyd Weber’s Technicolor classic returns this month kicking off a new tour at the Edinburgh Playhouse, where former Joseph Donny Osmond returns for one month only, with Joe McElderry taking over for some other venues alongside Adam Filipe as Joseph and Christina Bianco as the Narrator.

Dates and tickets at http://uktour.josephthemusical.com/

ZANNA DON’T (Old Joint Stock)

4th – 15th December

The revival of the beloved queer fairytale brings the heartwarming, magical story to Birmingham, setting the stage for an unexpected love story

Tickets from https://www.oldjointstock.co.uk/whats-on/zanna-dont

THE CHRISTMAS THING (Seven Dials Playhouse)

4th – 21st December

Become part of the studio audience as a festive TV show is created live on stage with surprise guests, Christmas games, video sketches, live music and much more.

Tickets from www.sevendialsplayhouse.co.uk 

TOYS (Watford Pump House Theatre)

4th – 31st December

From the visionary mind of Phil Edwards, this new musical is set on Christmas Eve as a lonely young girl discovers a world inhabited by living toys and goes on a magical adventure.

Tickets from https://pumphousewatford.co.uk/events/toys-the-musical/

THE INVENTION OF LOVE (Hampstead Theatre)

4th December – 25th January

Simon Russell Beale stars in Tom Stoppard’s great masterpiece concerning the poet and scholar A E Housman

Tickets from hampsteadtheatre.com

THE MASSIVE TRAGEDY OF MADAME BOVARY (Southwark Playhouse Borough)

5th December – 11th January

Flipping the classic yet scandalous Gustave Flaubert novel on its head, this riotous retelling features four actors battling on how they should stage the tragic tale

Tickets from  southwarkplayhouse.co.uk  

THE LEGENDS OF THEM (Royal Court)

5th – 21st December

Powered by high-octane musical numbers, virtuoso performance and raucous comedy, this is a breath-taking, roof-raising chronicle of reggae legend Lorna Gee’s singular, extraordinary life – and of the legends that have guided her.

Tickets from www.royalcourttheatre.com

MADDIE MOATE’S A VERY CURIOUS CHRISTMAS (Apollo Theatre)

6th December – 4th January

The beloved children’s TV presenter  leads a brand-new festive stage show that takes audiences on an adventure in Santa’s workshop

Tickets from https://nimaxtheatres.com/shows/maddies-curious-christmas-live-on-stage/

MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET (Home Manchester)

6th – 31st December

This brand-new musical, based on the classic tale, is a story of hope, joy, and a sprinkle of festive magic.

Tickets from www.homemcr.org

A CHRISTMAS CAROL (The Lowry)

6th December – 5th January

The Hope Mill Theatre’s new production of the magical musical version of the Charles Dickens classic is led by Claire Moore as Scrooge

Tickets from https://thelowry.com/whats-on/a-christmas-carol/

JEEVES TAKES CHARGE (Theatre Royal Bath)

6th December – 4th January

Two of the best-loved characters in comic literary history, P.G. Wodehouse’s Jeeves and Wooster, are brought hilariously to life in this heart-warming show

Tickets from www.theatreroyal.org.uk

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (Sheffield Crucible)

7th December – 18th January

The musical favourite returns to the UK in a new production starring Georgina Onuorah as Audrey, Colin Ryan as Seymour and Sam Buttery as Audrey II.

Tickets from www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 (Donmar Warehouse)

7th December – 8th February

Inspired by a scandalous slice of Tolstoy’s War and Peace, multi-award-winning Dave Malloy’s dazzling, genre-defying musical gets its UK premiere with a cast including Declan Bennett, Chumisa Dornford-May and Jamie Muscato.

Tickets from www.donmarwarehouse.com

THE TEMPEST (Theatre Royal Drury Lane)

7th December – 1st February

Acting royalty Sigourney Weaver makes her West End debut in Jamie Lloyd’s first production in his Shakespeare season. Matthew Horne and Mason Alexander Park are among the other cast members.

Tickets from  lwtheatres.co.uk.

ROBIN HOOD (London Palladium)

7th December – 5th January

The annual Palladium Panto returns for a ninth year with regular fixtures Julian Clary, Paul Zerdin and Nigel Havers joined by Jane McDonald. This year’s offering is extra stagey too with Marisha Wallace, Charlie Stemp. Rob Madge and Tosh Wanogho-Maud all starring.

Tickets from www.palladiumpantomime.com

TITANIQUE (Criterion Theatre)

From 9th December

The UK premiere of the cult hit parody musical drops anchor in the West End with a cast led by Lauren Drew as Celine Dion alongside Darren Bennett, Jordan Luke gage, Rob Houchen and Layton Williams.

Tickets from https://london.titaniquemusical.com

HOLD ON TO YOUR BUTTS (Arcola Theatre)

10th December – 4th January

The London premiere of the critically acclaimed, sold out Fringe hit is a live shot-for-shot parody of the greatest dinosaur film of all time performed by two actors and a live Foley artist.

Tickets from www.holdontoyourbutts.co.uk

CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF (Almeida Theatre)

10th December – 1st February

Tennessee Williams’ Pulitzer Prize-winning play is revived in a new production directed by Rebecca Frecknall with a cast led by Kingsley Ben-Adir and Daisy Edgar-Jones

Tickets from almeida.co.uk

HERE YOU COME AGAIN (Riverside Studios)

10th December – 18th January

After spreading joy on a UK tour, the heart-warming show full of all of Dolly Parton’s biggest hits brings the Jolly Dolly Musical to London for a festive season

Tickets from www.hereyoucomeagain.co.uk

CYRANO (Park Theatre)

11th December – 11th January

The critically acclaimed and joyous gender-flipped retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac transfers to London following the sold out European premiere in Edinburgh last summer.

Tickets from https://parktheatre.co.uk/event/cyrano/

THE JINGLECLAW (Birmingham Hippodrome)

12th December – 4th January

The first new musical in the in-house new musical theatre department is a raucously fun story for all the family, telling the story of a young girl with a big heart and even bigger ideas.

Tickets from www.birminghamhippodrome.com 

ROAD SHOW (Upstairs At The Gatehouse)

12th December – 12th January

Stephen Sondheim’s and John Weidman’s musical is revived at the London theatre with a cast including Reece Richardson, Oliver Sidney and Robert Finlayson.

Tickets from https://upstairsatthegatehouse.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/1173658924/events/428684324

OLIVER! (Gielgud Theatre)

From 14th December

Cameron Mackintosh’s new production of Lionel Bart’s iconic musical transfers to the West End after a summer in Chichester, starring Simon Lipkin, Shanat Holmes, Aaron Sidwell, Billy Jenkins and Oscar Conlon-Morrey.

Tickets from www.oliverthemusical.com 

WEST END MUSICAL CHRISTMAS (Lyric Theatre)

16th December

The West End’s number one concert series returns with Trevor Dion Nicholas hosting a cast of musical theatre favourites performing some well-loved Christmas numbers.

Tickets from https://www.westendmusicalchristmas.co.uk/

DECK THE STALLS (Riverside Studios)

16th – 22nd December

This new festive comedy by Lydia Kavanagh is a blisteringly funny play about an office Christmas party. Filled with humour, fun and a sack full of heart this alternative Christmas Show is sure to be a great night out

Tickets from www.riversidestudios.com 

ONLY FOOLS AND HORSES (Eventim Apollo)

17th December – 5th January

The musical based on the classic sitcom returns to London for a short season as part of its UK tour, starring Paul Whitehouse as Grandpa and Vinnie Jones making his stage debut as villain Danny Driscoll.

Tickets from www.onlyfoolsonstage.com

CHRISTMAS BY CANDLELIGHT (Adelphi Theatre)

17th December

A magical evening of beloved festive songs performed by candlelight hits the West End for one night only starring Joel Harper-Jackson, Rachel John, Oliver Tompsett and Rachael Wooding alongside an epic live band to perform everyone’s favourite Christmas Hits

Tickets from concertsbycandlelight.com

SLAVA’S SNOW SHOW (Harold Pinter Theatre)

18th December – 12th January

The multi award-winning global phenomenon enjoys a Christmas season in the West End after dates in Sunderland and Brighton earlier this month.

Tickets from www.slavasnowshow.com

THE LION THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE (UK Tour)

18th December – 11th January 2026

The 75th anniversary of C.S. Lewis' novel is celebrated with a new UK tour, kicking off with a Christmas season at Leeds Playhouse. The cast includes Katy Stephens as The White Witch.

Dates and tickets at www.lionwitchonstage.com

THE CREAKERS (Southbank Centre)

18th December – 5th January

A magical musical adventure based on Tom Fletcher's best-selling book is perfect for all the family and anyone who loves musicals

Tickets from www.southbankcentre.co.uk

MISCHIEF MOVIE NIGHT (Lilian Baylis Studio)

18th – 23rd December, 7th – 12th January

Mischief Comedy bring their improvised show back to London where no two shows are the same. The audience suggest a genre, location and title and then a blockbuster is made on the spot. 8 performances will be streamed from 20th – 23rd December.

Tickets from www.MischiefMovieNight.co.uk

DUCK POND (Royal Festival Hall)

19th – 30th December

The UK premiere of this show from Australian Circus Company CIRCA  is a thrilling and enchanting extravaganza that blends spectacular circus and dazzling performance.

Tickets from www.duckpond.live 

PETER PAN (Birmingham Hippodrome)

21st December – 2nd February

Queen of Birmingham Alison Hammond returns to the Hippodrome for the second year playing the Magical mermaid in the high-flying panto adventure alongside Hippodrome favourite Matt Slack.

Tickets from www.birminghamhippodrome.com 

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE 1936 (Trafalgar Theatre)

28th December – 25th January

The critically acclaimed production of Shakespeare’s classic returns to the West End led by Tracy-Ann Oberman as Shylock, joined by Joseph Millson.

Tickets from www.merchantofvenice1936.co.uk

As well as all these new openings, it is also your last chance to see some favourites with the following playing their final performances (for now at least) this month:

MACBETH (Harold Pinter Theatre) - ends 14th December

THE DUCHESS (Trafalgar Theatre) - ends 20th December

WAITING FOR GODOT (Theatre Royal Haymarket) - ends 21st December

THE CHOIR OF MAN (Arts Theatre) - ends 31st December

What are you most excited to see? Let me know in the comments or on all my socials - @ATDazzles on all of them, and look out for reviews of many of them on the website over the next month.

To have your show included in any future previews, send me an email with details of your show and I’ll include as many as possible. Look out for a big 2025 preview as well as a regular monthly one for January on the website in December.

See you in the theatre and merry Christmas!