See “The Arts Diary – January 2025 on” to see what’s scheduled for the next few months and more.
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Updated Friday 19th December, 6.22pm
Saturday 21 December
ALDERHOLT, Village Hall, Travelling Players in A Humbug Christmas Carol, 2pm.
BATH, Theatre Royal, Jon Monie and Nick Wilton in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, to 12 Jan: Ustinov Studio, Jeeves Takes Charge, solo show with Sam Harrison playing 22 characters, to 4 January, various evenings and matinees: The Egg, Robin Hood, to 11 Jan: Snow Mouse, for 6 months to 4 years, to 5 Jan: The Egg, Guy Masterson in A Christmas Carol, solo show, 2.30 and 7.30.
Forum, Step Into Christmas, seasonal musical favourites, 7.30.
Rondo, The Natural Theatre Company in A Christmas Cracker, to Tues, various times.|
BOURNEMOUTH, Pavilion, Jack and the Beanstalk, with Calum Lill, David Ribi, Oliver Brooks, to 5 Jan.
Pavilion Dance, Festive Ceilidh with Bow and Box folk duo and caller Fee Lock, 7pm.
BRIDGWATER, McMillan Theatre, Aladdin, to 30 Dec, various times.
BRIDPORT, Electric Palace, The Nutcracker, from the Royal Ballet, 2pm.
BRISTOL, Hippodrome, Goldilocks and the Three Bears with Brian Conley, David Robbins and Lucy Conley, to 5 Jan.
Old Vic, The Little Mermaid, to 11 Jan, various times: Weston Studio, Little Red (and other Winter Tales), to 12 Jan, various day times.
Tobacco Factory, Hansel and Gretel, to 19 Jan, various times: Living Spit’s A Christmas Carol, to 5th Jan 2025, various times: Little Angel Theatre in Me, the Story of a Baby Penguin, to 5th Jan, various day times.
Beacon, The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo’s Child and The Snowman, with The Mozart Symphony Orchestra, cond Philip Mackenzie, Clare Hart, narrator, 3pm.
St George’s, City of Bristol Choir and Bristol Ensemble, Festive Fiesta with audience carols, 7.3o.
CHRISTCHURCH, Regent Centre, Glad Rag Theatre Christmas Spectacular, to Tues, various times.
CIRENCESTER, Barn Theatre, The Three Musketeers – Trois!, to 4 Jan.
CORSHAM, Pound Arts, Frozen, singalong film, 11m: Swan Lake from the Royal Ballet (2018), 7pm.
EXETER, Northcott Theatre, Northcott and Le Navet Bete, Cinderella, to 5 Jan, various days and times.
Barnfield Theatre, Paddleboat Theatre in The Elves and the Shoemaker, to Tues, various times.
FROME, Merlin, Frome Town Band, Christmas Spectacular, 7pm.
LYME REGIS, Marine Theatre, Gilroy Theatre in A Christmas Carol, and Sun, 2 and 7pm.
PLYMOUTH, Theatre Royal, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, with Lesley Joseph, Rob Rinder and Andy Ford, various days and times to 11 Jan: Drum Studio, Raymond Briggs’ Father Christmas, to 28 Dec, various days and times: The Lab, The Star Who Danced, sensory festive show for 0-3 year olds, to 28 Dec, various days and day times.
POOLE, Lighthouse, Last Night of the Christmas Proms, BSO with Joe Stilgoe, 7.30: Sleeping Beauty with Chris Jarvis and Todd Carty, to 5 Jan, various days and times: Tutti Frutti in The Glass Slippers, the real story of Cinderella, to Tues, 11.30am and 2.30pm. Coastal Comedy with Esther Manito, Stuart Laws and Plastic Jeezus, 8pm: Cinema, The Nutcracker, from the Royal Ballet, 7.15: Paddington in Peru, to 31 Dec.
SALISBURY, Playhouse, Sleeping Beauty, to 12 Jan, various times.
Arts Centre, Boot-Led-Zeppelin, 7.30.
SOUTHAMPTON, Mayflower, Jack and the Beanstalk, with Ashley Banjo and Diversity, Kev Orkian, Matt Rixon and Lauren Hampton, to 5 Jan, various times.
STURMINSTER NEWTON, The Exchange, Mad Dog McRae, 7.3o.
TAUNTON, Brewhouse, Pinocchio, Christmas show, to 29 Dec, various times.
Tacchi-Morris Art Centre, Reamba in Cinderella, professional pantomime, and Sun, various times.
WARMINSTER, Athenaeum, Oddity Theatre in Beauty and the Beast, to Tues, various days and times.
WELLS, Cathedral, Wells Cathedral Choir, Carols by Candlelight, 7pm.
Cedars Hall, The Priddy Singers, Seasonal Favourites, 7pm.
WEYMOUTH, Pavilion, Peter Pan, Christmas pantomime with Jamie Riding and Dame Mrs Smee and Tony Rudd as Smee, to 5 Jan, various days and times.
WIMBORNE, Tivoli, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, to 5 Jan, various dates and times.
YEOVIL, Westlands, Jack and the Beanstalk, to 5 Jan, various day and evening times.
Sunday 22 December
BOURNEMOUTH, BIC, That’ll Be the Day, So This is Christmas.
BRADFORD ON AVON, Wiltshire Music Centre, The GBH Big Band with singer Emma Smith, 7.30: The Nutcracker, from the Royal Ballet, 10am.
BRISTOL, Beacon, Lantern, The Young’Uns, folk.
St George’s, Bristol Ensemble, Children’s Christmas Carnival, 2 and 4pm: Military Wives and Bristol Ensemble, Christmas Classics, 7.30.
POOLE, Lighthouse, Armonico Consort, Carols by Candlelight, 4pm.
SOUTHAMPTON, MAST, The Wind in the Willows, Toad’s Big Musical Adventure, set along banks of Test and in New Forest, with a cast of 50 young performers, to 31 Dec, various times.
Turner Sims, Down for the Count Orchestra, Swing Into Christmas, 2.30 and 7.30pm.
STREET, Strode Theatre, Peter Pan, to 31 Dec, various times: The Nutcracker, from the Royal Ballet, 5.15, and Mon 11am and Sun 29th at 2.30pm.
Monday 23 December
BRISTOL, St George’s, Bristol Ensemble and the Choir of Royal Holloway, with soloists, Handel’s Messiah, 7pm.
CORSHAM, Pound Arts, Father Christmas, storytelling, and 24th, 11am, 2 and 4pm: Gav Cross, The Monkey’s Paw and More, seasonal horror stories, 7.30.
MOTTISFONT, nr Romsey, Village Hall, Travelling Players in A Humbug Christmas Carol, 6pm.
POOLE, Lighthouse, A Celebration of Christmas Carols, BSO, Bournemouth Symphony and Youth choruses, cond Gavin Carr, 7pm.
WELLS, Cathedral, cathedral carol service, and Tues, 6pm.
Tuesday 24 December
WEST TYTHERLEY, King Edward’s Hall, Travelling Players in A Humbug Christmas Carol, 1.30pm
Friday 27 December
BOURNEMOUTH, Pavilion, Ballroom, The LOL Comedy Club.
SIDMOUTH, Manor Pavilion, Sidmouth Amateur Dramatic Society in Hansel and Gretel, family pantomime, to 4 Jan, (not 31 Dec or 2 Jan) various times.
Saturday 28 December
FROME, Memorial Theatre, Frome Musical Theatre Company in Sleeping Beauty, to 4 Jan, various day and evening times.
POOLE, Lighthouse, Cinema, Gladiator II.
Monday 30 December
EXETER, Barnfield Theatre, Wonder Pantomimes in Beauty and the Beast, to Thurs, various day times.
Tuesday 31 December
CHRISTCHURCH, Regent Centre, Top Gun, film, 9.30pm.
LYME REGIS, Marine Theatre, New Year’s Eve party with WeFunk and DJs, 7.30pm.
SALISBURY, Arts Centre, The Deloreans New Year Party, 8.30 onwards.
SOUTH PETHERTON, David Hall, New Year’s Eve ceilidh with Crooked Furrow, 8.30 onwards.