- Robin Hood, Oxford Playhouse – Sat 27 November – Sunday 9 January. Robin Hood and his Merry Band will treat us to songs, dance, laughter, and derring-do! Living in Sherwood Forest to escape crippling taxes and the nasty and wicked Sheriff of Nottingham, will our rebel heroes get the better of him and build a brighter future? Get ready to shout for the goodies, boo the baddies, sing along with the merry folk in green tights and cheer the heroes who’ve come to our rescue. https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/robin-hood-panto
2) Hundred Watt Club: A Burlesque Christmas Special. The Mill, Banbury. Thursday 23rd December. This hot toddy of a show is jam-packed full of festive, glittering showgirls, bawdy comedy, classic vaudeville and awe inspiring circus acts. Sublime, seductive and that little bit ridiculous – enjoy an evening of vintage inspired, Christmas themed entertainment. https://www.themillartscentre.co.uk/shows/hundred-watt-club-christmas/
3) Mrs Delgado by Mike Bartlett, Arts at the Old Fire Station. 6 – 21 December. Helen, along with 67 million other people, is in lockdown. Unfortunately Helen’s nearest neighbour, Mrs Delgado, is not. Mike Bartlett’s funny and poignant new play tells a story of desire, control, raised blinds and lowered boundaries. Performed by acclaimed actor Rakhee Sharma, and directed by Olivier Award-winner Clare Lizzimore. A major new premiere, created just for Oxford by the team who brought you Snowflake. oldfirestation.org.uk
4) Creation – Pinocchio, The North Wall – December 15 – January 3 – Brimming with heart and humour, this high energy retelling of Carlo Collodi’s classic tale of a wooden puppet who yearns to be a real child sees The North Wall transformed into a magical wonderland. An unforgettable adventure for the whole family. Plus, enjoy cabaret seating and exclusive use of your own table. https://creationtheatre.co.uk/pinocchio/
5) The Ballad of Rudy. Saturday 18 Dec 2021 to Friday 24 December, Cornerstone, Didcot. In this story Rudy doesn’t have a red nose; rather it’s his talent for new and exciting music that sets him apart from all the other reindeer. Together with the magical Jazz Penguin he goes on an adventure that teaches him that life isn’t about following the herd. Sing the blues with a Polar Bear, jam with the Puffins and beat-box with an Arctic Fox. It all happens at the North Pole Jazz Lounge; the coooolest place on earth. Featuring live music and original songs – children aged 3+ . https://www.cornerstone-arts.org/whats/ballad-rudy
6) Rapunzel – The Theatre Chipping Norton Pantomime. 17 November – 9 January 2022 – Rapunzel has been stuck in a castle tower for 18 years, imprisoned by a witch’s magical powers. But she’s not the sort of girl to let that defeat her! With the help of her Nanny, a charming yet cheeky Prince, and an awful lot of hair, she’s going to escape into the big wide world. So let your hair down and enjoy this latest and greatest adventure. https://www.chippingnortontheatre.com/whats-on/rapunzel or 01608 642350.
7) Oxford Christmas Light Festival – November 19-20. The weekend kicks off with the Christmas Light switch-on in central Oxford, including a large-scale illumination and a Victorian Market on Broad Street and Gloucester Green. Oxford Castle hosts a full-scale son et lumière projection while Thomas Page Dances is at OFS. There will also be four main festival neighbourhood hubs at Rose Hill, Cowley, Blackbird Leys, and Cutteslowe. You don’t need to book but for more info go to: https://www.oxlightfest.com
8) Christmas at Blenheim, 19 November 2021 – 2nd January. Enjoy the wonderful after-dark illuminated trail sparkling with over a million lights, lasers and seasonal sounds in the palace gardens. From glittering tunnels of light, dancing lakeside reflections and trees drenched in jewel-like colour to flickering flames in the fire garden and a glimpse of Father Christmas along the way. https://www.blenheimpalace.com/whats-on/events/christmas/
Plus revel in The story of The Nutcracker re-imagined within as the Palace rooms or enjoy the Christmas Market runs from Nov 19-Dec 19 with over 70 designer/maker craft traders housed in wooden chalets in the Great Court. https://www.blenheimpalace.com/whats-on/events/christmas-market/
9) Home In Time For Christmas, Burton Taylor Studio, Thurs 9 to Fri 31 December. Join Kayla and her teddy bear Snowy as they travel around the world on an epic adventure. For audiences aged 3+, the Oxford Playhouse original production is not to be missed and is designed as a relaxed performance. www.oxfordplayhouse.com. Box Office: 01865 305305.
10) The Very Hungry Caterpillar Christmas Show, The Mill, Banbury. 30th November-11th December. Four timeless stories brought to life in one delightful show – including special addition of Eric Carle’s ‘Dream Snow’! Dive into Eric Carle’s bright and colourful world as his beloved stories are transformed from page to stage, using a menagerie of 75 lovable puppets and charming music. Featuring your favourite titles: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, 10 Little Rubber Ducks, Dream Snow and of course, the star of the show, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. https://www.themillartscentre.co.uk/shows/the-very-hungry-caterpillar-show/)
11) Margot’s Magical Winter Wonder Party, Pegasus 11 – 23 December – a party like no other. Having teamed up with the award-winning Filskit Theatre last year to create the film Margot’s Magical Winter Wonder Party to bring joy to families at home, Pegasus is now delighted to invite you to see the live show in person! For ages 4+. https://pegasustheatre.org.uk/our-shows/
12) Snow – An Early Year’s Christmas Show. 4 – 5 December 2021 Kingsmere Community Centre in Bicester & Chipping Norton Town Hall 10 – 12 December. One cold winter morning, Holly and Juniper wake up to find the whole world blanketed in white fluffy snow. They can’t wait to get outside and play – but first mum needs to wrap them up and get their boots on the right feet! Developed in Iceland, Snow is a magical, immersive, multi-sensory adventure with live music and puppetry for 0-5 year olds. Tickets £10 (Includes a creative play pack for each child to take home). Bicester venue: https://www.themillartscentre.co.uk/shows/snow/ Chipping Norton venue: https://www.chippingnortontheatre.com/whats-on/snow–an-early-years-christmas-show
13) School Of Rock. New Theatre Oxford. Mon Dec 13 – Sat 1 January Strapped for cash, wannabe rocker Dewey Finn accepts a job as a substitute music teacher at a stuffy prep school. Shaking up the curriculum, he transforms the kids into a mind-blowing band – but what do the parents and the uptight headmistress think about this when the kids start to Stick to the Man? https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/school-of-rock/new-theatre-oxford/
14) The Snow Beast, The Mill, Banbury. Thursday 16th December. In the snowy town of Seldomberg, test tubes bubble, experiments explode and new inventions whirr at the annual science fair. Faina and her owl assistant Maude set off on an action-packed exploration, encountering extraordinary spectacles and mountainous obstacles as they battle through the wild, wintry wilderness in search of the truth. Storytelling, an original score and live interactive science experiments to inspire budding scientists of all ages. https://www.themillartscentre.co.uk/shows/the-snow-beast/
15) A Christmas Carol, The Wesley Memorial Church, Oxford. Tuesday December 21. Half Cut Theatre brings their unique telling of Dickens’s classic tale this Christmas, told in their own inventive, novel style. Stern and miserly business person Ebeneezer Scrooge celebrates Christmas in their own miserable way, until one Yuletide Eve enough is enough, and they are visited by four spirits whose job it is to rescue the lost soul. But with only two performances to enjoy, get in quick! https://www.halfcuttheatre.co.uk
