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Swan Theatre RSC – until 10th January 2026

Reviewed by Amarjeet Singh

5*****

John Galsworthy’s epic chronicle, The Forsyte Saga is about an illustrious family’s development over four decades. A monumental narrative that defines an era, Galsworthy’s tale, is brought to the RSC stage by Shaun McKenna and Lin Cochlan, under the incredible direction of Josh Roche. This stark yet captivating production concentrates on compelling characterisation as it delves into ill-fated relationships, doomed passion, and the corrosive effects of greed, possession and entitlement across the generations. Compressing multiple storylines into a two-play, five-hour adaptation, Part 1 Irene and Part 2 Fleur make for compelling viewing. A young Fleur Forsyte serves as the narrator for both parts, leading us through the unfolding drama with a retrospective lens. Her account of harrowing events is delivered with sharp wit and is perfectly paced,

Maintaining minimalist staging, set & costume designer Anna Yates provides opulent and impressive period costumes, a red-carpeted stage and velvet curtains for the Victorian era. This is later stripped back, losing the colourful costumes, the curtains and leaving an exposed bare brick wall to denote modernity. Chairs serve multiple purposes, most memorably transforming into a boat during Michael Mont’s awkward attempt to woo Fleur. They also differentiate indoors and out, with grand chairs for living quarters and deck chairs for the garden. Alex Musgrave’s lighting design is nothing short of sorcery. Combined with a sensational soundscape by Max Pappenheim they create worlds which only exist in our minds. Spotlights, washes, shadows all illuminate and elevate the saga. We are outdoors with bright glows and birdsong which fade into night with shadows and crickets. We see rearing horses in smoke, solemn silhouettes and blackouts when the horrors are too much.

The company is magnificent with every performance impeccable. Joseph Millson delivers a masterful portrayal of Soames Forsyte, capturing the rigid pride and cruelty of a man convinced his wealth and status grant him control, while revealing the vulnerability of a person unable to express emotion and haunted by his past. Fiona Hampton depicts Irene with poise and dignity, subtly revealing suppressed intelligence and desire constrained by societal and familial expectations. Flora Spencer-Longhurst’s Fleur Forsyte is an intelligent engaging and entertaining narrator. Elegant and perceptive, she is ultimately fractured by circumstances beyond her comprehension. Millson, Hampton, and Spencer-Longhurst remain in their principal roles, while the rest of the cast transition seamlessly between characters with remarkable versatility. Florence Roberts excels in multiple roles, most notably as June Forsythe. She demonstrates an astonishing command of accents. Jamie Wilkes delivers an engaging and endearing performance as young Jo Forsyte and Michael Mont, whilst Andy Rush brings a bold and dynamic presentation of Philip Bosinney and Cousin Jon.

With its stellar cast and clever creatives, this rendition of The Forsyte Saga, is a profoundly thrilling triumph. To truly experience its magic, I recommend seeing Irene then Fleur, in one sitting. While each section stands independent, the narrative is best experienced all at once. The short break between parts enhances anticipation and deepens emotional investment which amplifies the impact of the finale.

Cast, Doncaster – until 24th December 2025

Reviewed by Sophie Dodworth

4****

Young or old, the very popular tale of Hansel and Gretel is known by so many of us that for most, there are memories of this story, whether that be reading it to your offspring or remembering it being read to you in your youth, many moons ago for some of us. One day when the two children wander deep into the woods, they become lost, after the breadcrumbs they drop are eaten by birds! They stumble upon a wonderful house made entirely of gingerbread and start to eat it when suddenly, the wicked witch appears. She lures the pair in to a trap, locking Hansel in a cage! Will he be able to escape?…

The cast of two is made up by Adrien Spencer playing Gretel and Kameron Skeene as Hansel. Both are full to the brim of exactly the right amount of energy needed to entertain an auditorium, full of little ones for a full hour. They grab the attention of the children right from the start, with audience participation and weaving themselves in and out of the crowd. They also handle lots of impromptu shouts from the audience, which cannot be ignored as the room is so intimate! They deal with it with ease and incorporate it into the show, which is a challenge! With the ability to act, sing and dance, the pair make up a solid team to take this show right through until the end of December.

The duo on stage worked rather seamlessly at changing the set and making it appear effortless, even though when it came to erecting the gingerbread house, that surely can not have been all that easy, there was certainly a slight gasp during that change!

With only the two actors carrying the whole production, it relied heavily on its visual world and thankfully, the lighting design rose brilliantly to the challenge. Dynamic, colourful and meticulously timed, the lighting kept the stage alive and engaging throughout, adding layers of energy and atmosphere that sustained the momentum from start to finish. It proved that even a small cast can deliver a rich, captivating experience when supported by inventive visual work. Great work from Lighting Designer Lee Walker.

The second space at Cast Theatre is certainly one of the best for smaller productions, but this time, the typical theatre seating has been removed and the audience are seated on school-type benches, with chairs at the back, and all on one level, creating some challenges for visibility and comfort, if there is no space on the chairs at the back.

Overall, this vibrant retelling of Hansel and Gretel serves up a sweet slice of festive magic. It is clearly crafted with younger children in mind, but it’s warm heart and seasonal sparkle make it a charming addition to the Christmas theatre calendar for families of all ages.

Darlington Hippodrome – until 31 December 2025

5*****

Darlington Hippodrome brings you this year’s Panto Goldilocks and the Three Bears “The Greatest Panto on Earth” and indeed it was!  

With much sparkle and pizzazz this is a production extraordinaire, a show full of fun and laughter that you must get yourself down to see!

The story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears is not the original that we all know but adapted with a twist. Dame Betty Barnum (Jamie Jones finally getting the starring role he deserves) is under pressure as her circus is losing money and needs a star.  Joey the Clown (Josh Benson) offers to be the star of the show, and hopes that by doing his tightrope walk he gets more people to the Circus and that Goldilocks (Taziva-Faye Katsande) will fall in love with him.  But Baron Von Bolshoi wants to ruin the Circus.  So when the talented Baby Bear (Jessica Daugirda) and her parents Mummy Bear (Christina Berriman Dawson) and Daddy Bear (Jonny Weston) turn up to Dame Betty’s Circus, Baron Von Bolshoi kidnaps them to star in his Circus instead. 

Josh Benson is amazing, carrying the show all the way through, definitely the hardest working person on the stage.  He is very funny and clearly talented with his falls and leaps and impressive acrobat skills. Dame Betty Barnum (Jamie Jones) gave us an absolutely eye-catching performance with her many outrageous but fun and amusing costumes with her slapstick comedy. Baron Von Bolshoi (Brendan Cole) shows off with his sensational dance skills, and I loved that there was a lot of dancing in the show.  He bats off being introduced as Anton Du Beck, and the constant thread that he is Australian (he’s a New Zealander) 

This production offered so much and more than a normal panto. With some phenomenal acts such as El Mariachi Maquez (Gorden Maquez) a juggler of international experience, showing off his spectacular skill of different combinations and speed in juggling. Just extraordinary. And with 3 dancing bears, what more could you ask for? 

There were the traditional Panto tropes of course, the 12 Days of Christmas song took on legendary proportions as things went “wrong”, including the very real tearing of Von Bolshoi’s trousers.  And Benson did an hilarious take on Old MacDonald with 5 year old Benjamin whose favourite animal is Capybara, but as no one knew what noise they’d make on the farm, he did an enthusiastic dog barking instead. 8 year old Tallulah gave us an excellent cat and 8 year old Seth did a Shark (the band -Tim Hammond, Peter Brent, Tim Farmer and Ben Phillips – played the Jaws tune for him)

This show was just exceptional from beginning to end, with costumes (Maxines Feathers) that were outstanding, full of colour and totally unique. Great lighting (Mike Samuel) with sparkles everywhere. And incredibly high production values – a massive shoutout to all the technical and backstage crew and all at the front of house too. So much glamour from one show! The atmosphere in itself was energetic and remarkable. What a performance, with so much talent involved! Darlington you’ve outdone yourself this year, a production with an atmosphere of greatness and pure delight. 

WALLACE & GROMIT FEAT. SHAUN THE SHEEP: 
A CRACKING CHRISTMAS TRILOGY

AT THEATRE ROYAL DRURY LANE 
FOR ONE SPECIAL PERFORMANCE

On Sunday 21 December 2025, Wallace & Gromit and Shaun the Sheep will make their long-awaited West End debut, taking centre stage up on the big screen at Theatre Royal Drury Lane for a grand Christmas trilogy of three beloved films in concert: Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers, A Matter of Loaf and Death and Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas – each classic short film presented in full with their acclaimed scores performed live by a 45-piece orchestra! 

It’s set to be one baa-rilliant night out and a cracking Christmas treat for the whole family.

Alongside each short film, audiences will have a sneak peek behind the scenes at the incredible craft and attention to detail which goes into every Aardman production. Also featuring a curated selection of seasonal Aardman treasures for the ultimate ewe-tide celebration!

LISTINGS

Date: Sunday 21 December 2025

Time: 13:30pm

Venue: Theatre Royal Drury Lane

Adress: Catherine St, London WC2B 5JF

URL:  CrackingChristmas.com

Run Time: 2 Hours 20 minutes (inc. interval)

Varna International Ballet presents stunning classical ballets in the New Year, 

visiting 23 UK venues

Varna International Ballet and Orchestra returns to the UK in 2026, with its most extensive tour to date. Presented by RG Live, Varna International Ballet brings beloved classics Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and, new for 2026, Cinderella, to 23 venues around the UK from Tuesday 6 January to Saturday 14 March 2026. 

Founded in 1947 and renowned for its award-winning soloists and magnificent corps de ballet, Varna International Ballet has been delighting audiences for decades at home in Bulgaria and abroad with performances of the highest quality. Led by Artistic Director Daniela Dimova, the company presents much-loved classics to charm audiences who are new to ballet and balletomanes alike. The performances are accompanied by live music from the Varna International Ballet Orchestra, led by Azat Maxutov, Music Director and Chief Conductor.

The tour begins in Manchester on Tuesday 6 January 2026, and visits Liverpool, Nottingham, Buxton, Bradford, Glasgow, Darlington, Brighton, Southend, Oxford, Leicester, Bournemouth, Wimbledon, Ipswich, Portsmouth, Edinburgh, Reading, Hull, Blackpool, Wolverhampton, Cardiff, York, and Torquay. Full tour details are below.

Full tour details:

MANCHESTER Bridgewater Hall
bridgewater-hall.co.uk
6 Jan Swan Lake 7pm 
7 Jan Nutcracker 2pm
7 Jan Swan Lake 7pm

LIVERPOOL Empire Theatre
atgtickets.com/Liverpool
8 Jan Swan Lake 7.30pm
9 Jan Swan Lake 7.30pm
10 Jan Nutcracker 2pm & 7.30pm

NOTTINGHAM Royal Concert Hall
trch.co.uk
12 Jan Swan Lake 7.30pm
13 Jan Swan Lake 7.30pm
14 Jan Nutcracker 2pm & 7.30pm

BUXTON Opera House
buxtonoperahouse.org.uk
16 Jan Swan Lake 7pm
17 Jan Nutcracker 2pm & 5.30pm
18 Jan Swan Lake 2pm

BRADFORD Live
bradfordlive.co.uk
19 Jan Swan Lake 7.30pm
17 Jan Nutcracker 2pm & 5.30pm
18 Jan Swan Lake 2pm

GLASGOW SEC – Armadillo
sec.co.uk
23 Jan Swan Lake 7.30pm
24 Jan Nutcracker 2pm
24 Jan Swan Lake 7.30pm

DARLINGTON Hippodrome
darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk
25 Jan Swan Lake 2pm & 5.30pm
26 Jan Nutcracker 7.30pm
27 Jan Cinderella 7.30pm

BRIGHTON Theatre Royal
29 Jan Cinderella 7.30pm
30 Jan Nutcracker 7.30pm
31 Jan Swan Lake 2.20pm & 7.30pm

SOUTHEND Cliffs Pavilion
thecliffspavilion.co.uk
1 Feb Nutcracker 2pm & 5.30pm
8 Mar Swan Lake 2pm & 5.30pm

OXFORD New Theatre
atgtickets.com/oxford
2 Feb Cinderella 7.30pm
3 Feb Nutcracker 7.30pm
4 Feb Swan Lake 2.30pm & 7.30pm

LEICESTER De Montfort Hall
demontforthall.co.uk
5 Feb Swan Lake 7.30pm
6 Feb Swan Lake 7.30pm
7 Feb Nutcracker 12pm & 5.30pm

BOURNEMOUTH Pavilion
bournemouth.co.uk
8 Feb Swan Lake 2pm & 5.30pm

WIMBLEDON New Theatre
atgtickets.com/Wimbledon
9 Feb Nutcracker 7.30pm
10 Feb Cinderella 7.30pm
11 Feb Swan Lake 2.30pm & 7.30pm

IPSWICH Regent Theatre
ipswichtheatres.co.uk
12 Feb Cinderella 7.30pm
13 Feb Swan Lake 7.30pm
14 Feb Nutcracker 2pm & 5.30pm

PORTSMOUTH Kings Theatre
kingsportsmouth,co.uk
15 Feb Swan Lake 2pm & 5.30pm

EDINBURGH Playhouse
atgtickets.com/Edinburgh
19 Feb Cinderella 7.30pm
20 Feb Swan Lake 2pm & 7.30pm
21 Feb Nutcracker 2pm & 7.30pm

READING Hexagon
whatsonreading.com
23 Feb Cinderella 7.30pm
24 Feb Swan Lake 7.30pm

HULL New Theatre
hulltheatres.co.uk
26 Feb Swan Lake 7.30pm
27Feb Swan Lake 7.30pm
28 Feb Cinderella 2pm & 5.30pm

BLACKPOOL Grand Theatre
blackpoolgrand.co.uk
1 Mar Nutcracker 7.30pm
4 Mar Swan Lake 2.30pm & 7.30pm

WOLVERHAMPTON Grand Theatre
grandtheatre.co.uk
3 Mar Nutcracker 7.30pm
4 Mar Swan Lake 2.30pm & 7.30pm

CARDIFF New Theatre
newtheatrecardiff.co.uk
5 Mar Swan Lake 7.30pm
6 Mar Swan Lake 7.30pm
7 Mar Cinderella 2pm & 5.30pm

YORK Grand Opera House
atgtickets.com/York
9 Mar Swan Lake 7.30pm
10 Mar Swan Lake 7.30pm
11 Mar Cinderella 2.30pm & 7.30pm

TORQUAY Princess Theatre
atgtickets.com/torquay
13 Mar Swan Lake 7.30pm
14 Mar Nutcracker 2pm
14 Mar Cinderella 7.30pm

Tickets available from individual theatres and rg.live

MUSICAL PARODY & A REVAMPED PRODUCTION OF

 UNFORTUNATE:

THE UNTOLD STORY OF URSULA THE SEA WITCH

TO TRANSFER TO THE OTHER PALACE, LONDON

FROM FRIDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2026

FOLLOWING A CHRISTMAS SEASON AT LOWRY 

 Book and Lyrics by Robyn Grant & Daniel Foxx

Music by Tim Gilvin 

The critically acclaimed musical parody Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witchwill transfer to London’s The Other Palace from Friday 6 February for a strictly limited season until Sunday 5 April 2026. Unfortunate opens at Lowry for a Christmas season this Friday 5 December, running until Sunday 11 January

Newer, better, ruder and shorter, the 2026 transfer marks the musical’s fourth incarnation following two previous sold-out runs and a successful Christmas season. It will feature a brand-new set and costumes, new jokes, new characters and will play to a new running time of 2 hours including one interval. Tickets are on sale now.

When Disney released The Little Mermaid in 1989, they had no idea they were giving birth to an icon. Ursula the Sea Witch quickly took her place as the queen of Disney villains: a pop culture legend and a feminist badass. She’s loud. She’s clever. She’s sexy and unapologetically plus-sized. She’s not defined by slipper-sized feet, or enchanted blonde hair, or snow-white skin. Ursula is plump, purple and proud. A queer icon with a message for us ‘poor unfortunate souls’: love the skin you’re in, value your voice over your body, and don’t be afraid to be a little bit nasty.

Cruella told her side, and Maleficent’s had her moment… Now the legendary sea witch is ready to spill in this tell-all tale of sex, sorcery and suckers – a laugh-a-minute dive through Ursula’s backstory filled with a filthy pop soundtrack, much-loved characters as you’ve never seen them before and enough (eco-friendly) glitter to keep you sparkling all the way home. Gather up your merfriends; it’s going to be one hell of a beach party.

Unfortunate first premiered with a sold out run at the Edinburgh Fringe in summer 2019, before heading to Birmingham Hippodrome’s Patrick Studio that Christmas. The show then transferred to Underbelly Earls Court in London and returned for a second sell-out Edinburgh run in 2022. In December 2023 the production returned to London for an 11-week run at Southwark Playhouse Elephant prior to a six-month UK tour in 2024. A Swedish-language production is currently running in Linnköping..

Unfortunate the musical parody has book and lyrics by Robyn Grant and Daniel Foxx, with music by award-winning composer Tim Gilvin, direction by Robyn Grant, set and costume design by Jasmine Swan, choreography by Melody Sinclair-Marsh, puppetry and movement direction by Laura Cubitt, orchestration, music production, and music supervision by Nikki Davison & Joe Davison for Auburn Jam, sound design by Ian Dickinson for Autograph, lighting design by Adam King, puppet design by Mikayla Teodoro & Jasmine Swan, puppet makes by Mikayla Teodoro, casting direction by Will Burton CDG, production management by James Anderton and associate direction by Eliza Beth Stevens. The creative associate is Allie Dart, theatrical magic consultant is Chris Cox, intimacy director is Maisie Carter, costume supervisor is Beth Qualter Buncall and props are by Props by Eve.

Unfortunate is produced by Wildpark Entertainment (Lovestuck: A New Musical, Footballers’ Wives the Musical), Runaway Entertainment (The Hunger Games on Stage, Newsies), The Vaults (Stranger Sings), Stoddart Entertainment (Heathers the Musical Australia) and Dianne Roberts (Girl From The North Country, Kathy & Stella Solve a Murder).

Website: Unfortunatemusical.com

Instagram/TikTok/Facebook @UnfortunateMusical

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch

6 February – 5 April 2026

The Other Palace

12 Palace St,

London

SW1E 5JA

Box Office: 020 7592 0302

theotherpalace.co.uk

Tickets: from £20

Performance times:

Tue – Sat eves 7:30pm

Fri, Sat & Sun matinees 3pm

Age guidance: 16+

Running time: 2 hours including one interval

Howard Panter for Trafalgar Theatre Productions and Brian and Dayna Lee

in association with the Barbican

proudly presents

COLE PORTER’S MUSICAL MASTERPIECE

Music and Lyrics by Book by

Cole Porter Arthur Kopit

OPENING AT LONDON’S BARBICAN THEATRE THIS SUMMER

STARRING

HELEN GEORGE

&

FELICITY KENDAL

Additional Lyrics by Susan Birkenhead

Based on the play ‘The Philadelphia Story’ by Philip Barry

BARBICAN THEATRE, LONDON

FROM 19 MAY 2026

STRICTLY LIMITED SEASON UNTIL 11 JULY 2026

TICKETS ON GENERAL SALE ON 9 DECEMBER FROM HIGHSOCIETYMUSICAL.COM

From the producers of the smash hit sold-out musical sensations Anything Goes, Fiddler on the Roof and Kiss Me, Kate, the razor-sharp wit of Cole Porter returns to the Barbican next summer in a lavish and much-anticipated new production of Porter’s musical masterpiece HIGH SOCIETY. Tickets will go on general sale on 9 December from HighSocietyMusical.com.

Opening on 19 May for a strictly limited eight-week season, this musical masterpiece will star Helen George (Call the Midwife, The King and I) and Felicity Kendal (The Good Life, Anything Goes) making their much-anticipated return to the West End. Following the Barbican season, the musical will immediately embark on a major 20-week UK and Ireland tour – starring Helen George – opening at the Wycombe Swan.

This sumptuous new production is brought to life by an multi-award winning creative team, including renowned director Rachel Kavanaugh (currently directing Hugh Bonneville in Shadowlands at the Aldwych Theatre), legendary choreographer Anthony Van Laast (Mamma Mia, Kiss Me, Kate) with musical supervision by Stephen Ridley (The King and I, Anything Goes) leading a full orchestra, will immerse audiences in a dazzling world of champagne-sparkled evenings, razor-sharp comedy, and the timeless sophistication of Cole Porter in one of the great classic musicals of all time.

With music and lyrics by Cole Porter and a book by Arthur Kopit, this glittering new production promises a heady cocktail of romance, wit, mistaken identity and irresistible musical charm. Featuring Porter classics such as Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, I Love Paris, Well Did You Evah?, Just One Of Those Things, Let’s Misbehave, You’re Sensational, and the swooningly romantic True Love, HIGH SOCIETY will be the unmissable musical event of the year.

Helen George, who will once again captivate the country this Christmas as the beloved Trixie in two one-hour specials of the BBC series Call the Midwife, said: “I am delighted to be returning to the stage in Cole Porter’s musical comedy masterpiece HIGH SOCIETY to play Tracy Samantha Lord in a brand-new production directed by Rachel Kavanaugh next year. Theatre is my first love and I adored playing the iconic role of Anna in The King and I, so I jumped at the chance to flex my musical comedy chops and play Tracy. Cole Porter’s musicals are packed with his signature wit, glamour and unforgettable tunes and High Society is no exception. I am also thrilled it will be launching at the Barbican before embarking on a major UK tour. I can’t wait for audiences to enjoy a sparkling evening of comedy, romance, and sheer musical joy.”

Felicity Kendal said: “I am delighted to be returning to the Barbican in HIGH SOCIETY, another Cole Porter musical comedy masterpiece. I so enjoyed my time at the Barbican in Anything Goes, I couldn’t think of a more perfect summer treat and leapt at the chance to join this brand-new production directed by Rachel Kavanaugh and choreographed by Anthony Van Laast next summer. There is nothing quite like the thrill of a live audience experiencing a great show together and nobody does musical comedy like the genius that is Cole Porter. I cannot wait to get started and I know that audiences are in for the perfect musical summer treat next year.”

Producer Sir Howard Panter added: “Following the tremendous success of our summer seasons at the Barbican over recent years, including Anything Goes, Kiss Me, Kate, Fiddler on the Roof and Good Night, Oscar we are delighted to be returning once again to showcase Cole Porter’s sophisticated classic HIGH SOCIETY for a limited season. It has everything one could wish for in a Golden Age Musical – glamour, mistaken identity, romance, glorious music, and sheer irresistible fun. With the wonderful Helen George and Felicity Kendal leading our exceptional company, HIGH SOCIETY promises to be the perfect summer celebration for London audiences.”

Clear your diary, because you’re invited to the most swell party of the year, Cole Porter’s HIGH SOCIETY. Join the 28-strong cast for this lavish new production as plans for the society wedding of the year descend into chaos, with old flames and new flames vying for attention as a sharp-eyed tabloid reporter hunts for scandal at the waterfront estate.

Further casting will be announced soon.

CREATIVE TEAM

Rachel Kavanaugh – Director

Anthony Van Laast – Choreographer

Stephen Ridley – Music Supervisor & Director

Website: HighSocietyMusical.com

Facebook: @highsocietymusical

Instagram: @highsocietymusical

YouTube: @highsocietymusical

TikTok: @highsocietymusical

Also based on the Turner Entertainment Co. Motion Picture “High Society”

MTFESTUK RETURNS

TO THE OTHER PALACE IN 2026

MTFESTUK 2026 WILL SHOWCASE SIX MUSICALS

AT THE OTHER PALACE STUDIO

The Other Palace proudly welcomes back MTFestUK 2026, featuring six musicals over three weeks, from 27 January to 15 February 2026, at The Other Palace Studio.

First introduced in 2019, MTFestUK has championed bold, original musical theatre, with many works reaching full productions in the UK and beyond. This year, audiences can enjoy six fresh pieces through intimate 1-hour workshop sharings, encouraging audiences to experience, explore, engage and support musical theatre in its earliest stages of development.

Paul Taylor-Mills, Artistic Director at The Other Palace, said: “This is so exciting! I can’t wait to see the next season of MTFestUK coming to life. MTFestUK has become such an important platform for musical theatre, giving many emerging and established artists the chance to share their work. Year after year, we see musicals from the festival move on to full productions, which proves its impact and success. It’s inspiring to witness the festival continually open doors for creativity and innovation in the art form.”

From digital-age community, hotel-bound suspense, witch-hunting, influencer pitfalls, to a charming deceiver, and a new queer legend – this season goes everywhere:

Shining in Misery: A King-Size Parody

Music:  Andrew Abrams

Book & Lyrics: Mark-Eugene Garcia

Book: Colleen DuVall

Director: Gary Lloyd

Experience a musical parody of King-size proportions! During the Misery of a blizzard, five people are drawn to the Shining lights of the Overlook Hotel. This includes Jack: the hotel’s new caretaker, Wendy: his unhappy wife, Danny: their clairvoyant son, Annie: a volatile nurse, and Paul: the mysterious unconscious man she drags up to room 217. As the storm grows so do the mysteries of the hotel and the guests sing and vocalize while hacking an onslaught of visitors — human, animal, and supernatural. Will this group be able to harmonize through IT, take a Stand, or fade into The Mist?

***

Legendary

Book, Music & Lyrics: Cheeyang Ng

Director: Emilio Ramos

Legendary is a vibrant, ritualistic solo musical that traces a queer Asian immigrant’s journey to reclaim lineage, language, and belonging. Guided by Chinese mythology and the memories they carry across continents, the Narrator invites the audience into circle singing and call-and-response to co-create the story in real time. Each chapter reveals another fracture — home, family, gender, legacy — until the Narrator begins to imagine a new creation myth rooted in their own truth. Intimate, playful, and defiantly joyful, Legendary blurs concert, ritual, and theatre as it asks: What happens when you become the myth you never saw?

***

Tristan

Writer: Matt Jones

Composer: Kele Okereke

Tristan is charming, gorgeous and can sweep you off your feet. He’s also a liar and fantasist. What makes a man like Tristan? If that’s even his real name. Nick and Philly are both in love with him. Unfortunately, they know nothing about the existence of the other.

Why do we fall for the Tristans of this world? What makes us vulnerable to their charms? Tristan offers both Nick and Philly a vision of a future more attractive and romantic than the lives they are currently living. Only when they both end up in the same room, will they discover the lie they have been sold.

***

That Witch

Book, Music & Lyrics: Billy Cullum & Robert Tregoning

Director: Jess Edwards

The Sunny High Drama Club present the world premiere read through slash workshop performance of their original musical That Witch, based on totally unbelievable events that like, actually happened in their home town – SunnyVille. Witches are SO not welcome in SunnyVille, but when Olivia, a lonely new girl with hidden powers arrives, queen bee Taylor feels that Sunny High life as she knows it is under threat. Taylor will do whatever it takes to protect her social status…but is the real enemy hiding in plain sight? And when Olivia steps into her truth and meets others like her, will she finally find her tribe?

***

The Guild: The Musical

Based on the original series by Felicia Day

Book: Allison Frasca

Music: Mark Schenfisch

Lyrics: Sam Balzac

Director: Dean Johnson

It was so much easier being friends before they ever met…

Cyd Sherman thrives on killing monsters with her band of online friends. Getting groceries and remembering to go to therapy? Not so much.

She and her guildmates are blissfully isolated from each other until one member breaks digital anonymity. Suddenly, Cyd is forced to overcome her own fears and unite the Guild to battle anxieties, miscommunication, and the biggest boss of all: reality.

Adapted from the cult classic webseries by Felicia Day, The Guild: The Musical features infectious tunes, rambunctious comedy, and Day reprising her role as Cyd/Codex.

***

GLIMMER

Book & Lyrics: Frankie Bunce

Music & Lyrics: Kat Kleve

GLIMMER is a dark, adrenaline-fuelled new musical set in Bristol, 2025. Burnt-out from carrying responsibilities far beyond her years, Billie is desperate to be seen – until one doom-scroll leads her to Anakiss, a magnetic influencer preaching radical self-belief through small acts of revenge she calls “glimmers.”  When her online world begins to bleed into real life, Billie’s transformation sparks a dangerous chain of irreversible consequences. With a pulsing pop score and a razor-sharp look at influencer culture, GLIMMER dives into digital radicalisation, exploring power, pain, and the price of being heard.

LISTINGS

MTFESTUK 2026

THE OTHER PALACE STUDIO

Tue 27 January – Sun 15 February 2026

Shining in Misery: A King-Size Parody

Music: Andrew Abrams

Book & Lyrics: Mark-Eugene Garcia

Book: Colleen DuVall

Tuesday 27 January: 7pm
Wednesday 28 January: 5pm and 7pm

Thursday 29 January: 7pm

Legendary

Book, Music & Lyrics: Cheeyang Ng

Friday 30 January: 7pm
Saturday 30 January: 5pm and 7pm

Sunday 1 February: 5pm

Tristan

Writer: Matt Jones

Composer: Kele Okereke

Tuesday 3 February: 7pm
Wednesday 4 February: 5pm and 7pm

Thursday 5 February: 7pm

That Witch

Book, Music & Lyrics: Billy Cullum & Robert Tregoning

Friday 6 February: 7pm
Saturday 7 February: 5pm and 7pm

Sunday 8 February: 5pm

The Guild: The Musical

Based on the original series by Felicia Day

Book: Allison Frasca

Music: Mark Schenfisch

Lyrics: Sam Balzac

Tuesday 10 February: 7pm

Wednesday 11 February: 5pm & 7pm

Thursday 12 February: 7pm

GLIMMER

Book & Lyrics: Frankie Bunce

Music & Lyrics: Kat Kleve

Friday 13 February: 7pm
Saturday 14 February: 5pm and 7pm

Sunday 15 February: 5pm

Venue:            The Other Palace Studio

Address:          The Other Palace 12 Palace Street, London, SW1E 5JA,

Website:         https://theotherpalace.co.uk/mtfestuk-2026/

Tickets:            Early Bird: £15 before 1 January 2026; all tickets are £16.50 after 1 January 2026, any 2 shows for £30; 4 shows for £56; all 6 shows for £78.

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Capital Theatres makes a GIANT return to panto magic as Jack and the Beanstalk (13 Dec 2025 – 11 Jan 2026) climbs onto the Festival Theatre stage

Brand new show Snowy opens in the Studio Theatre (17-31 Dec)

Capital Theatre’s delivers festive cheer in Christmas Care Homes Tour with The Christmas Box (4-19 Dec)

Magical sensory production Brrr (January 2026) returns for a second year  

Capital Theatres celebrates the festive season with entertainment for all ages, including enchanting magical family shows, world-class dance and a specially crafted Christmas Care Home Tour around Edinburgh and the Lothians.  

 This winter Capital Theatres makes a GIANT return to panto magic as Jack and the Beanstalk (13 Dec 2025 – 11 Jan 2026) climbs onto the Festival Theatre stage. This marks the final panto at the Festival Theatre as next year it will return to its traditional home of the King’s Theatre, following the venue’s exciting redevelopment. 

The much-loved panto favourites Allan Stewart, Grant Stott and Jordan Young return tothe stage with Panto Dame Allan Stewart, celebrating his 50^th year in pantomime, having starred in his first panto at the Pavilion Theatre in Glasgow in 1975.  

Capital Theatres is thrilled to welcome back three fantastic talents to this year’s festive line-up: Clare Gray, Gail Watson and Amber Sylvia-Edwards.   

Returning for her seventh year, Clare Gray plays the lovable Pat the Cow.  Bonnyrigg born and bred Gail Watson returns to play the mythical Spirit of the Beans, guiding Jack on his sky-high climb.   After enchanting audiences in her pantomime debut as Cinderella last year, Coatbridge-born Amber Sylvia Edwards returns to the stage as the charming Princess Jill.   

Produced by Crossroads Pantomimes, the world’s biggest pantomime producer, this GIANT of a show is bursting with toe-tapping song and dance numbers, spectacular special effects, a pocketful of magic beans and laughs that will have you grinning all the way up the beanstalk!  

Capital Theatres have once again joined forces with Aberdeen Performing Arts and Eden Court Highlands to offer a unique, multi-year commission to create and produce three small-scale festive productions for early-years audiences, each to be presented in Inverness, Aberdeen and Edinburgh from 2025 to 2027 – each show rotating to a new venue each year. 

The first is Snowy (17-31 December 2025) which jumps onto the Studio Theatre stage in a brand-new festive show for all ages. Snowy, the adorable pup is on a magical adventure to save Christmas in this show filled with fun, friendship and a lot of snow!  Capital Theatres has increased the Studio Theatre capacity to accommodate the higher demand for tickets.

Jordan Blackwood and Ross MacKay reunite with Scottish Theatre Producers’ Sarah Gray to bring Snowy to life, following their CATS-nominated production of Treasure Island, and are joined for the first time by composer and sound designer Bethany Tennick. 

The show features an adorable puppet dog designed and made by Fergus Dunnet (who recently designed Hercules in the touring show Hercules the Bear) and the voices of Tollcross Primary School children are one of the highlights of this heartwarming wintery production.  

Capital Theatres’ Christmas Care Home Tour delivers festive cheer to 18 care homes and day centres around Edinburgh from 4 December and concludes with two shows at the Festival Theatre on 19 December. The Christmas Box is a live, interactive and highly sensory theatre experience for people living with dementia, care home residents and care staff. It is a production created and performed by Michelle Burke and James Ross, two highly skilled artists and musicians who both regularly work in care settings supporting people with dementia artistically. A playful, interactive performance, this show is sure to bring yuletide cheer. 

Capital Theatres has worked closely with its dementia friendly focus group and a local day centre to ensure that this production is dementia friendly. This unique production offers person-centred sensory interaction and familiar music, inviting the audience to reminisce. Two performances will be held at the Festival Theatre’s Event Rooms for participants of its year-round dementia friendly activities. By touring to care homes and day centres The Christmas Box will bring a joyous experience to a community of people that can no longer access the theatre.  

Brrr will return in January 2026 for its second run of performances with Capital Theatres. It is a magical sensory installation and live performance by award-winning Scottish dance artist and choreographer Hayley Earlam, developed in association with Capital Theatres. It has been created especially for young audiences aged 10 plus with complex needs, including profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD), neurodiverse and autistic young people, wheelchair users, and those using mobility aids.  

Held inside a cosy inflatable dome, this production features dance, music and immersive video to surround children with the sights, sounds, and feel of winter. For many, winter can be an energetic and overwhelming time of year. Brrr offers a gentle, restorative and inclusive space where everyone is free to enjoy winter in their own way.  After hosting performances at the Studio Theatre, including a private show for children with profound and multiple disabilities who are being supported through NHS respite care, Brrr will take to the road to spread winter joy at Woodlands School and St Crispin’s School.  

Capital Theatres aims to be accessible to everyone and provides captioned, BSL interpreted, touch tours, audio-described and dementia friendly performances and activities. The festive season features a relaxed performance of Jack and the Beanstalkfor pupils of ASN schools funded by Cash for Kids. 

 It also has relaxed performances for Jack and the Beanstalk for members of the public on 9 January and for Snowy on 21 and 28 December. These inclusive performances are designed for people requiring additional support and their families. Audience members are free to make noise and move around the auditorium, lights are kept on but dimmed to reduce anxiety, and break-out spaces with a live stream of the show give people a chance to leave the auditorium without missing the action.   

All performances of Jack and the Beanstalk are part of Capital Theatres’ 25 & Under scheme, which allows people aged 25 and younger to book £10 tickets online on the day of the performance. Further details are available here.    

Capital Theatres’ Gift Vouchers offer an ideal festive treat for loved ones and are available to purchase here. Give the Gift of Theatre – Capital Theatres  

The Festival Theatre cafe is open over the Festive period and offers an ideal spot for a delicious bite or drink . Opening Hours – Capital Theatres  

Capital Theatre’s festive season is available for booking now.Full details of all shows can be   

found online at www.capitaltheatres.com/whats-on  

Unity Hall Wakefield – until Sunday 7th December 2025

Reviewed by Adam Craddock

4****

Tonight I had the pleasure of being invited along by Diva Productions to review the return of their Christmas show Elf The Musical. Previously running to rave reviews in 2023, I was very excited to come along and see what the talent of West Yorkshire had to offer and I have to say that I did not leave disappointed!

Based on the classic Will Ferrell Christmas movie, Elf The Musical follows Buddy, a human who was brought up as an elf in the North Pole, along his journey of discovering his real family in the run up to Christmas. Michael Markey leads the show as Buddy. Markey has a real charm on stage and endeared himself brilliantly to the audience. For me he struck just the right balance of giving a knowing nod to the subject material whilst also very much putting his own spin on the role. Bravo! Meg Riley plays Jovie, the store worker who hates Christmas but falls in love with an elf. Riley has a rich tone to her voice and a warm chemistry with Markey’s Buddy. James Banks was good as Walter Hobbs, slightly on one level emotion wise throughout although I think this is more down to the script than Banks’ performance as when he did have a brief second of softness he did look strong. Teddy Cooper was fantastic as Michael Hobbs, with a vocal strength and matureness to his performance far beyond his years, this is one young man to definitely keep an eye out for in years to come! Andrew Coan was perfectly warm as Santa Claus with a beautiful connection between himself and Buddy, although there were one or two moments where he let his pace drop just slightly too much before getting it back. I can’t list all of the supporting cast otherwise this review would be as long as Santa’s naughty list, although a special shout out from the supporting roles has to go to George Markey as Chadwick. His energy and performance were a joy to watch and I could not take my eyes off him in the office scenes. The absolute standout performance of the show for me however has to go to Esmae Bloomer as Emily Hobbs. Bloomer had to step in with only 30 minutes rehearsal to cover a cast illness and if you had told me she had been rehearsing that role for the last 6 months I would’ve believed you! She had a beautiful tone to her voice and her connection with her on stage son was touching. Stepping in for a role such as this at the last moment is no mean feat and I think that’s shows a real sign of a performer with a glowing career to come.

In terms of the production as a whole I think it was very strong with excellent production values throughout! The lighting was crisp and fresh, the sound design was good and the costumes were absolutely fabulous, particularly Santa and Buddy. The use of a flying sleigh at the end caught me off guard and really made me smile, although I would advise the technical team to be careful with their snow machine as one poor lady in the front row ended up with about 4 inches of foam sat on top of her head and nose. Whilst she found it hilarious another audience member may not have. My only other criticism of the show would be that for me the stage just felt a little too full at times. I completely understand the want to include everyone in each number but for me this was detrimental to the ensemble numbers as the dancers did not have the room to really dance to their full capability and the principals looked uncomfortably crowded. I think you would be better served by having a few less people on stage and the ability to really dance to the end of each step.

In conclusion, I would highly recommend a chocolate monster and a trip to watch Elf The Musical this December. This production is a joyous show and for me, it’s the perfect way for you to start your Christmas. After all… The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear. Now put me on the nice list!