Top ten theatre shows to see in December 2018

December is always an exciting time for London’s theatre enthusiasts. This year is no exception with bombastic Christmas dramas, fringe hits and musicals full of earworm numbers.

Don Quixote at the Garrick Theatre

Photo: Manuel Harlan

An excellent contemporary staging of Miguel de Cervantes’s novel by James Fenton with gorgeous music and a brilliant cast featuring David Threlfall as Don Quixote and Rufus Hound as Sancho Panza, Don Quixote will, no doubt, blow the audience out of the water with its perfect mix of clever wit and superbly executed slapstick comedy.

Don Quixote is at the Garrick Theatre from 27^th October 2018 until 2^nd February 2019. Book your tickets here.

Hadestown at the National Theatre

Photo: Helen Maybanks

With a trip into the underworld this December, Hadestown promises theatregoers exciting action and brilliant musical numbers. Taking an unusually contemporary perspective on the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, this show is probably the most interesting and delightfully original pick on this list, with a host of genre-defying songs that will never fail to entertain.

Hadestown is at the National Theatre from 13^th November 2018 until 26^th January 2019. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.

The Great Gatsby at Gatsby’s Drugstore

Reminding the audience of what a Christmas party may have been like in the roaring 20s, this modern adaptation of F Scott Fitzgerald’s novel of the same name by Alex Wright and the Immersive Ensemble will put the audience on the edge of their seats. A haunting take on hedonism, this show demonstrates what a small theatre can do.

The Great Gatsby is at Gatsby’s Drugstore from 14^th November 2018 until 31^st March 2019. For further information or to book visit the show’s website here.

Seussical at Southwark Playhouse

Photo: Adam Trigg

Brimming to the top with up-beat music and plenty of entertainment for the whole family, Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens’s Seussical is the next big hit at the Southwark Playhouse. Featuring scores of brilliance and never-ending excitement, this show brings Dr Seuss’s imagination to life – including a host of everyone’s favourite characters.

Seussical is at Southwark Playhouse from 22^nd November until 29^th December 2018, with a relaxed matinee performance on Tuesday 11^th December. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.

The Snowman at the Peacock Theatre

Photo: Tristram Kenton

A delightful stage adaptation of Raymond Briggs’s The Snowman, this show will put you right in the mood for Christmas. With a charming story of friendship between a boy and his snowman, and beautiful music and lyrics by Howard Blake – including Walking in the Air – the Peacock Theatre’s The Snowman is an absolute must-see.

The Snowman is at the Peacock Theatre from 22^nd November 2018 until 6^th January 2019. Book your tickets here.

A Christmas Carol at the Old Vic Theatre

A merry Christmas indeed! Jack Thorne’s modern adaptation of Charles Dickens’s novel is a big-budget, smash-hit take on the classic story. Stephen Tompkinson is the world’s most popular miser, Ebenezer Scrooge, and the Old Vic may be the venue for this year’s best new A Christmas Carol adaptation. God bless us, everyone.

A Christmas Carol is at the Old Vic Theatre from 24^th November 2018 until 19^th January 2019. Book your tickets here.

The Selfish Giant at the Omnibus Theatre

Photo: Paul Blakemore

Promising to be one of this year’s best family Christmas shows, The Selfish Giant by Tessa Bide Productions and Soap Soup Theatre is a fresh and modern retelling of Oscar Wilde’s celebrated classic. A timeless tale that urges us to open our hearts, it will leave even the most stout-hearted on the verge of tears.

The Selfish Giant is at the Omnibus Theatre from 28^th November until 24^th December 2018. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.

Robin Hood: The Arrow of Destiny at Theatre Peckham

Award-winning playwright Richard Hurford brings the magic back to London with his Christmas and rap-inspired production Robin Hood: The Arrow of Destiny. With a strong Suzann McLean directing the production, it promises to be a fascinating contemporary take on one of the most well-known tales of all time, and a delight for children and adults alike.

Robin Hood: The Arrow of Destiny is at Theatre Peckham from 4^th until 22^nd December 2018. Book your tickets here.

Peter Pan at Richmond Theatre

A guaranteed hit for the whole family, Richmond Theatre’s pantomime for this year is Peter Pan, starring Tony Award and two-time Olivier Award-winner Robert Lindsay as a stunning Captain Hook and Harry Francis as Peter Pan. A great show for nostalgic parents and children who vow never to grow up.

Peter Pan is at Richmond Theatre from 8^th December 2018 until 6^th January 2019. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.

Snow White at the London Palladium

Yet another big-budget panto full of fun for the whole family, Snow White at the London Palladium features an excellent cast with Dawn French as the wicked and jealous queen, alongside Julian Clary. A brilliantly humorous take on the much-loved fairytale, this is sure to leave both parents and children rolling on the floor with laughter.

Snow White is at the London Palladium from 8^th December 2018 until 11^th January 2019. Book your tickets here.

Michael Higgs