Theatre and panto in and around Cardiff for Christmas 2024

Whether you’re looking for a traditional panto, big budget West End shows or something more cosy and low-key, the theatres and halls in and around Cardiff have it all this Christmas.

Read on for ideas on festive entertainment for all ages and budgets.

For more ideas of family-friendly days out in and around Cardiff, follow Cardiff Mummy Says on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok

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A Christmas Carol

Sherman Theatre, Cardiff

Friday 22 November-Saturday 4 January

£16-£29, under 25s half price; age guidance: 7+

Transport yourself to the streets of Victorian Cardiff this Christmas as A Christmas Carol returns to the Sherman by popular demand. First seen in 2021, this new take on the classic story promises exceptional festive entertainment for those aged 7+. Gary Owen’s adaptation of this classic story brings the action to Cardiff, 1843, where Scrooge has lots of money – but it’s never made her happy. On Christmas Eve, she will meet three ghosts who will teach her the most important lesson of all. By Christmas morning, she will have learned how to live for the first time. The show stars Sherman at Christmas favourites, Hannah McPake, reprising her much-loved performance as Ebbie Scrooge; Keiron Self, making his tenth appearance in a Sherman Christmas show; and Owen Alun, who delighted audiences last year as Tinkerbell in Peter Pan.

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Little Red Riding Hood / Yr Hugan Fach Goch
Sherman Theatre, Cardiff

Saturday 25 November-Saturday 4 January

Age guidance: 3-6 years old; running length 50 minutes

The Sherman’s annual production for three to six year olds is the perfect introduction to theatre for little ones. This year, sees a new take on the classic fairytale Little Red Riding Hood, with both Welsh and English language performances available. Red loves giving and receiving presents – especially when a super cool new red cape turns up in her stocking. But when she gets lost in the woods on the way to her grandma’s house, her encounters with a hungry wolf show her that maybe Christmas is about more than just playing with her new toys. Join Red for a magical adventure filled with songs and laughter this festive season.
The performance is also touring South Wales throughout November. See website for full dates.

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Hamilton
Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff

Tuesday 26 November-Saturday 25 January

From £25

Age guidance: 10+, no admittance to under 3s

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s multi award-winning cultural phenomenon Hamilton comes to Wales Millennium Centre as part of its first-ever UK tour. Hamilton is the story of America’s Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, an immigrant from the West Indies who became George Washington’s right-hand man during the Revolutionary War and helped shape the very foundations of the America we know today. The score blends hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B and Broadway – the story of America then, as told by America now.

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Drag Queen Story Hour

Cabaret, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay

Sundays 1, 8, 15 and 22 December, 11am and 3pm

£10 adults, £7 children
Age guidance 3+

Get set for fabulously inclusive stories and fabulously dressed drag queens together as Aida H Dee The Storytime Drag Queen as she takes you on a magical journey through a world of colourful characters that will make smiles wrap around faces, hilarious antics that will leave everyone in stitches, and a drag queen that just cannot remember where she placed her spare wig. There will also be shows in Welsh (performer TBC).

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Dick Whittington
The Riverfront, Newport

Wednesday 27 November-Saturday 4 January

Tickets from £29.50 adults, £27.50 children

Join hero Dick Whittington and his trusty cat, as they set out on an epic journey from Newport in search of friendship, fortune, and fun! This rags to riches tale promises to be full of laugh out loud gags, stunning scenery, beautiful costumes, the baddest baddies and plenty of audience participation.

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Aladdin
Cardiff Theatre Café, St Andrews Church, Roath, Cardiff

Saturdays and Sundays 30 November, 1, 7, 8, 14 and 15 December

Adults £15, children £12, under 2s £5m family (2+2) £48

Just Perez Productions presents Aladdin, a magical family pantomime for all ages.

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Scrooge

Insole Court, Cardiff

Monday 2, Tuesday 3 and Wednesday 4 December, 6pm and 7.30pm

£12 per person

A festive retelling of the classic Dickens tale, live from the historic surrounds of the Insole Court Library.

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Sleeping Beauty and the Kingdom of Dreams

Paget Rooms, Penarth

Thursday 5-Sunday 8 December
From £12, selling fast – limited availability

Penarth Operatic and Dramatic Society presents its annual panto, a spectacular, original pantomime that has been devised and written especially for PODS as part of its centenary year celebrations. When Princess Rose is born, the evil Morgana puts a curse on her, proclaiming that on her 21st birthday she will prick her finger on a rose and die. Fairies Lilac, Blush and Beige come to the rescue, and instead the Princess falls into a deep sleep, entering the Kingdom of Dreams where the Dreamweaver takes her on a magical adventure. Will Rose awake to find true love or will Morgana turn the dreamiest of pantomimes into a nightmare?

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Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff

Friday 6-Friday 13 December, 7pm, plus Saturday 2pm
£9-£18
Age guidance 10+

Cardiff’s Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama present a new version of Treasure Island, adapted from the acclaimed National Theatre production. Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic story of murder, money and mutiny on the high seas sees a mysterious stranger presents Jim with a huge sea-chest, full of secrets – and their dangerous journey begins. Join Jim as they meet pirates and search for buried treasure, voyage to desert islands and have sword fights.

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A Chorus Christmas

Tabernacl, The Hayes, Cardiff

Friday 6 December, 7.30pm

£5-£22

The world-renowned Welsh National Opera Chorus perform side by side with singers from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama to present a thrilling evening of operatic singing in the heart of the city, The beautiful Tabernacl chapel in the Hayes hosts a concert that will showcase these massed voices performing opera, musical theatre, sacred repertoire, the Welsh choral tradition and music for Christmas. Conducted by WNO Chorus Master, Freddie Brown and RWCMD Director of Music Tim Rhys-Evans.

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Beauty and the Beast
Blackwood Miners’ Institute

Friday 6-Monday 30 December

Adults £18, children £18, family £64 (£22/£19/£68 on 24 and 26 December)

A beautiful girl who holds within her heart the key that will free the Beast from his terrible fate. Rainbow Valley Productions version of Beauty and The Beast brings you all the story’s thrills, romance and excitement plus sensational singing and dancing. Plus expect lots of hilarious comedy, with local comedian and presenter Owen Money as the star of the show.

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Cinderella

New Theatre, Cardiff

Saturday 7 December-Sunday 5 January

£24-£48

Cardiff-born TV presenter Gethin Jones stars as Prince Charming in the New Theatre’s annual panto. He’s joined by broadcaster Owain Wyn Evans as Dandini, much-loved panto regular Mike Doyle as the Baroness, and returning favourites Denquar Chupak as Cinderella and Stephanie Webber as the Fairy Godmother. Join Cinders as she goes from rags to riches, outwits her very wicked sisters and meets her Prince Charming Packed with traditional pantomime ingredients, expect laugh-out-loud comedy, stunning scenery, beautiful costumes and plenty of boos and hisses.

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Aled’s Christmas Songbook featuring The Snowman
Cardiff Christmas Festival, Spiegel Theatre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff

Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 December, 2.30pm (selling fast, limited availability)

Join singer Aled Jones and the Welsh POPS Quartet as they perform The Snowman and other festive favourites. Aled will perform and narrate The Snowman in the first half of the show and in the second half perform some of his own favourite show and classical numbers, before leading a seasonal singalong, accompanied by the amazing Welsh Pops String Quartet.

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All I Want for Christmas is Family Musicals

Cabaret, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff

Saturday 7 and 21 December, 11am and 3pm

£15 per person

Age guidance 2+, running time approx. one hour

A cast of musical theatre performers present a magical Christmas concert filled with festive cheer, frolics and sparkles. From Disney hits and Christmas classics to magical musicals and singalongs, head to Wales Millennium Centre’s cosy Cabaret theatre for a fun-filled festive treat for the whole family. Enjoy an hour of entertainment with Mared Williams and Steffan Hughes of Welsh of the West End fame, and Laura Dawkes who recently starred as Anna in the West End’s Frozen. They will be accompaniment on the piano by David George Harrington, who has worked with pop icons including Justin Bieber and Kylie Minogue.

See the website for details of All I Want for Christmas is Musicals, suitable for ages 16+, on Friday 6, Saturday 7, Thursday 12, Friday 13, Friday 20 and Saturday 21 December.

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The Snow Queen
Cardiff Christmas Festival, Spiegel Theatre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff

Thursday 12-Tuesday 31 December

Children £16.50-£22.50, adults £25-£32.50

As part of Cardiff Christmas Festival, the classic Hans Christian Andersen tale has been reimagined and given a Welsh twist as Gerda sets out on an epic adventure to try to break the spell of the evil Snow Queen. The show also stars Bryn, a 7ft singing and dancing polar bear, plus there’s a guest appearance from Father Christmas – playing himself, of course. With a running time of 75 minutes and no interval, the show is ideal for younger theatre-goers.

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Cinderella

Memo Arts Centre, Barry

Thursday 12-Sunday 15 December

£18, concessions £14, group (2 full and 2 concessions) £50

Poor Cinderella is stuck scrubbing floors and doing chores for her wicked stepmother, the Baroness, and her nasty stepsisters, Rita and Wanda. But she’s dreaming of a brighter future beyond her dusty rags and endless cleaning. Will she finally escape and find happiness? Join Barry’s Billboard Ensemble to cheer her on and watch as a little magic just might change her life.

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Christmas on Broadway
Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff

Thursday 12 December, 7.45pm, Friday 13 December 2pm and 7.45pm

£18-£20

The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama finishes its year with its much-loved annual glittering night at the musicals, celebrating the best of festive musical theatre from stage and screen.

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Elf

ICC, Newport

Saturday 14 December-Saturday 4 January

From £23; age guidance 4+; 2h20 including interval

See Elf the hit movie live on stage with this spectacular Christmas musical. The story is magically recreated with catchy music, exciting sets, punchy jokes and a heartwarming tale the whole family will love. Unable to shake the feeling that he doesn’t fit in, Buddy the Elf embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father. Faced with the harsh realities that his father is on the naughty list and his new family doesn’t even believe in Santa, Buddy is determined to win over his new family and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas.

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The Wizard of Cowbridge
Cowbridge

Saturday 14-Friday 27 December (excl Christmas Day)

From £12

Following the success of last year’s sold-out production, Elves Overboard, Ducky Fuzz Productions presents The Wizard of Cowbridge – a panto reimagining of a timeless classic, where Dorothy finds herself lost in Cowbridge at Christmas time. Join Dorothy on her enchanting adventure along the Yellow Brick High Street, as she seeks the help of The Wizard of Cowbridge to return home to Kansas in time for Christmas morning. Along the way, she encounters a host of quirky companions and must outwit The Wicked Witch, Karen, who is determined to reclaim her sister’s stolen ruby slippers and destroy Christmas forever.
Celebrities Bronwen Lewis, Gareth Thomas, Ian H Watkins and Caryl Parry Jones feature as voice over artists and do not appear in person.

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The Christmassy Christmas Show of Christmassy Christmasness!

Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl

Sunday 15 December, 11.30am and 2.30pm

Squashbox Theatre’s new show is a celebration of everything Christmassy, from fir trees, fairy lights, sleigh bells and snowflakes to crackers, carols, presents and puddings. The Christmassy Christmas Show of Christmassy Christmasness! is an over-stuffed stocking of seasonal surprises crammed with puppets, songs, quizzes and comedy, and over-flowing with crazy characters, silly slapstick, tall tales and fantastic facts. Running length: approx. 55 minutes.

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Father Christmas Comes Up Trumps

Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl

Sunday 22 December, 3pm

Adults £13, children £9.50

Father Christmas is back, and this time he’s had three helpings of sprouts. As he tries to deliver the presents, his tummy rumbles, gurgles and groans, but Father Christmas knows he must keep it in – he doesn’t want to wake anyone up! TaleGate Theatre Productions combine witty humour, catchy music and the extra sparkle for which they have become known in this funny and bouncy musical adaptation of Nicholas Allan’s sequel to Father Christmas Needs a Wee, which has been selling out UK tours for the past five years. Running length: approx 60 minutes.

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Robin Hood – Babes in the Wood
Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff

Friday 20-Sunday 22 December

£14-£16
Kinetic School of Performing Arts present their annual pantomime, Robin Hood – Babes in the Wood. The ultimate pantomime villain, the Sheriff hatches a wicked plan to get rid of his niece and nephew, the Babes in the Wood, and claim their fortune. It’s down to Robin Hood to save the day and stop the Sheriff, with a little help from his Merry Men and Maid Marian. Enjoy plenty of songs, dance, laughter and sumptuous costumes in our traditional family-friendly pantomime. Join us for a festive fix of slapstick comedy, boos and hisses, and all-round silliness – with the addition of good old Nottingham folklore and some guest appearances thrown in for good measure.

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Family comedy show
Glee Club, Mermaid Quay, Cardiff

Sunday 29 December, 12pm
Adults £13, children £9
Age guidance 7+, no admittance to under 5s
A fun lunchtime show for all the family, from children to grandparents. No need to get a babysitter to enjoy some weekend stand-up!