Best Christmas shows, festive plays and musicals in London for 2024
It’s snow joke: we’ve recommended the very best plays, musicals and ballets happening in the West End this Christmas. Here’s everything you need to know.
At the rate this year's going at, soon we'll be saying "It's Christmas time", but there’s no need to be afraid, because we’re making sure you’re more than prepared for this year’s festive season.
Here at RadioTimes.com, we’re always good at presenting you with the best guides to having fun at Christmas, from our best UK pantomimes piece to the best Christmas gift experiences and best West End shows.
To help you get in the festive spirit this year (and we don’t mean just humming along to your Christmas playlist spirit, we mean full-on, giddy, can’t sleep on Christmas Eve excitement), we’ve put together this list of the best Christmas shows to see in London.
Featuring plays, musicals and even ballets going on at the West End this winter, this guide is everything you need for the perfect Christmas theatre trip. We’ve got family-friendly shows, like Stick Man as well as more serious performances like A Christmas Carol.
So, without further ado, here are the best Christmas shows to see in London.
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For even more exciting things to do in the Big Smoke this winter (and ones that mostly involve being indoors!), be sure to read our best London experience gifts, best UK candlelight concerts, and best London art exhibitions.
Best West End Christmas shows at a glance:
- Robin Hood and the Christmas Heist, from £7
- Hansel and Gretel, from £7
- A Sherlock Carol, from £16
- A Christmas Carol, from £17
- Nutcracker, from £22
- Stick Man, from £29
Best West End Christmas shows for 2024
A Christmas Carol starring John Simm at the Old Vic
- 9th Nov 2024 – 4th Jan 2025
A Christmas Carol is back at the Old Vic this December, once again bringing the chilling Dickens tale to life. This year the role is being taken on by Doctor Who and Life on Mars actor John Simm, taking over from his Time Lord counterpart Christopher Eccleston. So let's see the covetous old sinner come to life once more.
Buy A Christmas Carol tickets from £17 at London Theatre Direct
For more details about John Simm in A Christmas Carol, click here.
The Nutcracker at London Coliseum
- 12th Dec 2024 – 12th Jan 2025
The classic ballet is back this winter featuring the music of Tchaikovsky and the choreography of Arielle Smith. Featuring over 100 dancers and musicians, this dance follows Clara, a young girl who follows her toy nutcracker into a magical world run by a formidable rat king.
Buy Nutcracker tickets from £22 at London Theatre Direct
Stick Man at Bloomsbury Theatre
- 4th Dec 2024 – 5th Jan 2025
Julia Donaldson's beloved story is being brought to life this winter at the Bloomsbury Theatre. See Stick Man caught up in a series of adventures as he's chased by dogs, swans and people, all the while trying to get back to his family in time for Christmas, but will he get there?
Buy Stick Man tickets from £29 at London Theatre Direct
Hansel and Gretel at The Globe
Based on the classic Grimm fairy tale, as well as the poem Hansel & Gretel: A Nightmare in Eight Scenes by renowned poet Simon Armitage, this adaptation reframes the story around the life and struggles of war-affected refugees. Coming to Shakespeare’s Globe for just £6, this show promises to be an unforgettable experience.
Buy Hansel and Gretel tickets from £7 at London Theatre Direct
Robin Hood and the Christmas Heist at Rose Theatre Kingston
- 30th Nov 2024 – 5th Jan 2025
What a title! You're undoubtedly intrigued, so Robin Hood and the Christmas Heist is set in the legendary realm of Sherwood forest, where the Christmas cheer is dwindling. As the Sheriff of Nottingham squeezes the citizens for all they're worth, Robin Hood hatches a daring plan to bring joy back to the land.
Buy Robin Hood and the Christmas Heist tickets from £7 at London Theatre Direct
A Sherlock Carol at Marylebone Theatre
- 29th Nov 2024 – 5th Jan 2025
Lastly, there’s a truly elementary show going on at the Marylebone Theatre this winter. In a mysterious case of world’s colliding, Sherlock Holmes is strolling through London one day, when a now grown-up Tiny Tim arrives, asking him to help find a missing Ebenezer Scrooge. As Sherlock’s mystery unfolds, he finds a missing diamond, a threatening letter, and a few too many ghosts for his liking.
Buy A Sherlock Carol tickets from £16 at London Theatre Direct
For more great days out, here's what to do in London this weekend, as well as the best musicals on tour UK.
