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Christmas shows 2026

Pantomimes, The Nutcracker, carol concerts and family shows, with audience reviews.

From mid-November to early January, theatres and concert halls put on their festive programme: the great British pantomime season, The Nutcracker ballet, carol concerts and gospel choirs, Handel’s Messiah, Christmas stories for children and comedies to enjoy with the whole family.

This page brings together the performances whose title or work is about Christmas, one date per show, the most popular first. Choose your city to see what’s on near you.

Before booking, read the audience reviews: recommended age, running time, staging, comfort of the venue. And after the show, write a review to help other families.

On now and coming up · Christmas 2026

Theatre

Christmas Comedy Crackers

Christmas Crackers, Jack Dee, Angela Barnes, Andrew Bird, Peter Rethinasamy, Kim Blythe

Rose Theatre · Surrey

Upcoming
Concert

Christmas Musical Spectacular

Michael Ball, Keala Settle, Ben Forster, Kerry Ellis, Loren Allred

AO Arena · Manchester

Upcoming
Concert

Kate Rusby At Christmas

Kate Rusby

The Glasshouse International Centre for Music · Gateshead

Upcoming
Concert

The Albion Christmas Band

The Albion Band

Kendal Brewery Arts Centre · Cumbria

Upcoming
Classical music

Christmas Celebration

Westminster Cathedral Choir, Britten Sinfonia

Westminster Cathedral · London

Upcoming
Concert

Leeds Punk Rock Xmas 13

Dirt Box Disco, Pizzatramp, Geoffrey Oicott, King Effers, Litterbug

Brudenell Social Club · Leeds

Upcoming
Concert

Pleasuredome Xmas Cracker

Pleasuredome

Empire Music Hall · Belfast

Upcoming
Concert

The Be Sharp Xmas Bash

Filthy Militia

New Cross Inn · London

Upcoming
Concert

A Gospel Christmas

Gospel Christmas

Jazz Cafe · London

Upcoming
Theatre

A Christmas Carol

The Old Vic · London

Upcoming
Comedy

Magic of Christmas

The London Palladium · London

Upcoming
Concert

Step Into Christmas

SEC Armadillo · Glasgow

Upcoming

Frequently asked questions

When should I book a Christmas show?

As early as you can: December performances, especially at weekends and during the school holidays, often sell out weeks in advance. Weekday dates and matinees are usually easier to get.

Which Christmas show is best for young children?

For the youngest, choose a short show (under an hour), a story or a puppet show. From around six, a panto, The Nutcracker or a musical usually holds their attention. Reviews from families mention the children’s ages and how they reacted.

How is this selection made?

Automatically, from the MyCritik listings whose title or work is about Christmas, between early November and early January, then checked by our team. Only one date is shown per show.