It is that time of year again, for all realms of celebrity (and not so celebrity) luvvies to take to the stage and offer both children and adults their adaptations of well loved nursery rhymes and children's stories. Here is a selection of just a few classics, and some newcomers which might whet your appetite to get chanting along with the rest of the audience and get ready for the festive season.
London; The Snowman
Dates: 7 December – 8 January 2006
Times: Monday – Sunday 11am, 2.30pm & 7pm
Cost: £12.50 – £30.00
Location: Peacock Theatre West End
Bookings: 0870 737 0337
This hugely successful stage show production of the well loved story and animated film, tells the story of a child named James whose snowman comes to life on Christmas Eve. Throughout the night it seems they meet all sorts of dancing creatures, and The Snowman escapes from the evil Jack Frost. The Snowman actually flies through the room, and there is plenty of fake snow falling on the excited audience beneath.
London; Aladdin
Dates: 7 December – 22 January 2006
Times: Monday – Friday 7.30pm and Saturday – Sunday 2.30pm & 7.30pm
Cost: £15 – £40
Location: The Old Vic
Bookings: 0870 154 4040
The well loved famous tale of Aladdin, a poor boy who comes across a magical lamp. The genie who lives in the lamp gives him three wishes, and with these wishes begins an adventurous tale and a love story.
Edinburgh; Mother Goose
Dates: 26 November – 15 January 2006
Times: Saturday 2pm & 7pm and Sunday 1pm, 5pm & 7pm
Cost: £7 – £12
Location: Kings Theatre
Bookings: 0131 5296 000
Mother Goose is the tale of a destitute woman who comes to wealth with the help of Priscilla the goose that lays golden eggs. This is one of the oldest and well loved of traditional pantomimes.
Belfast; Jack and the Beanstalk
Dates: 3 December – 14 January 2006
Times: Monday – Friday 7pm and Saturday 1.30pm & 5pm
Cost: £6.75 – £13.50
Location: Waterfront Hall Studio
Bookings: 01232 33445
Jack and the Beanstalk is the tale of a boy who on his way to market, naively trades in a cow for some magic beans, on returning home he is reprimanded for losing the family's fortune. However when Jack plants the magic seeds a massive beanstalk springs up and he climbs it to discover a giant, an exciting adventure ensues.
Blackpool; Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Dates: 9 December – 3 January 2006
Times: Tuesday – Wednesday 10am & 2pm; Friday – Saturday 2pm & 7pm and Sunday 2pm & 5.30pm
Cost: £10.50 – £16.50
Location: Grand Theatre
Bookings: 01253 290190
The classic fairy tale of a young and beautiful girl, and a jealous stepmother. Snow White runs away and seeks solace with a group of seven dwarfs. With the signature line of “Mirror, mirror on the wall who is the fairest of them all” the stepmother is constantly disappointed by being told that Snow White is the most beautiful in the land.
The stepmother goes on to poison Snow White with an apple, sending her into a deep sleep. When the dwarfs return to discover Snow White dead, she is placed in a glass coffin where she lies until the kiss of her true love awakens her, and sets her free from this spell.
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Pantomime Season. Vital 2, 9 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/vital333
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/vital333