Pantomime performances around Coventry families can watch this Christmas

It cannot be Christmas without a trip to the panto with friends and family. The panto is a place to get stuck into the festivities and is a 'must' for the holiday season - oh yes, it is.

Pantomime performances usually have two showings, one in the daytime or the evening, where you can enjoy laughter, fun, and tradition all at once. Pantos are full of interaction, which makes them applicable to people of all ages. They have vibrant costumes, extravagant set displays, and unlimited jokes for everyone to enjoy.

Theatres in Coventry and Warwickshire, such as The Belgrade and The Albany, host pantomimes each year for the festive season, so you will be in for a treat. Our guide below is some of the best ones to watch this Christmas.

Read more: Coventry Round Table's Santa's Sleigh returning this Christmas - full list of roads

Dick Whittington - Belgrade Theatre

This year's Belgrade panto is the much-loved classic Dick Whittington which organisers say will be 'jam-packed' with festive fun, magical mayhem and 'loads of Christmas sparkle'. With its 'breathtaking sets,' 'lavish costumes', and 'lovable characters,' this panto is described as an 'unmissable treat.'

The Belgrade Theatre says: "Get ready to cheer for Dick and his trusty cat, boo and hiss at the dreaded King Rat and laugh out loud at the antics of our disastrous Dame. We can’t do it without you."

Tickets are said to be 'selling fast' with early bird tickets from £18 and standard from £23. Dick Whittington is now showing until Saturday, January 4, 2025. To buy your ticket, click here.

Alice in Wonderland - Albany Theatre

This Christmas, The Albany Theatre will bring 'an adventure like no other' with Alice in Wonderland, which is expected to be filled with fun, laughter, and magic. The story entails following Alice and the White Rabbit down the rabbit hole for an 'extraordinary adventure' in Wonderland.

Albany Theatre says: "As Alice lands in a unique underground world, she encounters strange and mysterious characters, each more curious than the last. From the young to the young at heart, come on over to Wonderland and experience a fabulous festive treat."

Alice in Wonderland will run from Saturday, December 7 to Sunday, December 29, with a running time of 2 hours. Full-price tickets are £20 (previews £18), £18 for children (previews £16), and concessions for £18 (previews £16), with family discounts available. Buy your tickets here.

Sleeping Beauty - Albany Theatre

Come and join Albany Theatre for a 'magical pantomime adventure' for everyone. This is a community pantomime with talented performers from across Coventry and Warwickshire where you 'come and cheer for the heroes,' 'boo the dastardly villain,' and sing along to all the songs.

The plot states: "The wicked fairy Carabosse is furious when she is not invited to the christening of the beautiful Princess Rose. Vowing revenge on the kingdom, she curses Rose with a terrible fate; on her 16th birthday, she pricks her finger on a spinning wheel and dies. Will the magical fairies and the valiant Prince be able to save our heroine before it’s too late? Or will she be cursed to sleep forever?"

The shows are available from Saturday, January 4, 2025, to Sunday, January 12, 2025, with shows at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Full-price tickets are £20, with £18 for children and concessions. Family discounts are available, which you can purchase here.

Beauty and the Beast - Royal Spa Centre Leamington

The Royal Spa Centre has packed all the traditional panto ingredients, slapstick comedy, and plenty of audience interaction into Beauty and the Beast this year. Make memories this festive season where you see an arrogant prince cursed to live as a beast where his only hope is to find love before the last petal falls from a 'magic rose'.

Beauty and the Beast will be shown from Saturday, December 7, to Sunday, January 5, 2025. Tickets are £28.50 and can be purchased via the Royal Spa Centre website.

Jack and the Beanstalk - Bedworth Civic Hall

Production company PR Productions is staging Jack and the Beanstalk, the first pantomime performed at the venue since it closed in 2020. The pantomime will include local talent such as Bedworth-born Martin Foley playing Jack, making his hometown comeback to Coventry actor and director Jonny Hower, who will play Knobbly End's news anchor.

The show will run from Friday, December 13, until Tuesday, December 24, with 4,000 tickets already sold for the performance. December 13 is also the official 'Gala Performance' opening night, where audience members will get a free soft drink or fizz on arrival, sweets for the children, and some 'extra surprises.'

More information on the cast can be found in our article here. Tickets are priced from £12 which can be purchased here.

Will you be visiting the pantomime this year? Let us know in the comments below.

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