Bristol’s best Christmas shows 2024

Christmas is coming, and for culture fans, that means the city will soon become awash with shows, performances and special events to mark the festive season.

Bristol24/7 rounds up some of the highlights on offer in 2024, from panto to theatre, comedy and improv, circus and cabaret, film, music and more…

Pantomime

• Panto of the Opera – November 27-30, The Station

The annual Clifton Amateur Dramatics Society (CADS) panto is this year set at the Panto Populaire, which has been beset by catastrophe, from the mysterious phantom to missing stagehands, buckets on heads, and more than a little “general silliness”.

• The Twelve Days of Christmas – November 27-30, Winterbourne & District Community Association (WADCA) Community Centre

Presented by Winterbourne Musical Theatre, Alan P Frayn’s panto is scattered with all the tropes you would hope for: from jokes to musical numbers, the occasional scattering of innuendo and Wizbad the wicked wizard: a baddie we can all delight in booing.

• Rapunzel: A Steampunk Pantomime – December 5-15, Olympus Theatre

A panto with a difference from Bristol Institute of Performing Arts (BIPA) that promises “a dazzling display of Steampunk-inspired costumes and a tale woven with laughter and heart”.

• Early Years Panto – Goldilocks and the Three Bears – December 7 (multiple shows), Bean Tree Café

Back for an eighth year, the Early Years Panto will be performing for the youngest – and often most vocal – audience members out there. With song and dance numbers amidst a fun and easy-to-follow adventure lasting only 30 minutes, it’s the perfect offering to hold your little one’s attention.

• Beauty and the Beast – December 7-31, The Playhouse, Weston-super-Mare

Melanie Walters (Gavin & Stacey) stars as Fairy Camembert, with Derek Moran (Milkshake!) as Philippe Philloppe, in Weston’s biggest annual panto.

• Goldilocks and the Three Bears – December 7-January 5, Bristol Hippodrome

Panto veteran Brian Conley is set to be joined at The Hippodrome by his daughter Lucy Conley, who stars as Goldilocks. David Robbins, Phil Corbitt and Phil Hitchcock also feature, alongside The Timbuktu Tumblers – direct from Zippo’s Circus.

• Panto in a Day! – BS3 Cinderella – December 8, Hen and Chicken Studio

Brought to you by the team behind group theatre workshops ‘play in a day’, this production features a multi-generational cast of community actors.

• Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs – December 12-January 12, Theatre Royal Bath

Will Snow White escape the clutches of a wicked queen? Will there be a host of songs, jokes and dance routines along the way? Award-winning panto performer Olivia Birchenough (Milkshake!) stars as Snow White, with returning favourite Jon Monie as Muddles and Nick Wilton (Eastenders) as Dame Dilly.

• Jack and the Beanstalk – December 13-January 5, The Redgrave Theatre

Joining forces with Polka Dot Pantomimes, The Redgrave invite the whole family to yell at the biggest giant in pantoland. “It won’t cost you a bag of magic beans,” they say, “but it will be FE-FI-FO-FUN for everyone”.

• A Christmas Carol: Drone Light Show – December 19-20, Seat Unique Stadium

A festive show with a difference, this outdoor 45 minute “animated drone light show display” from Celestial brings Charles Dickens’ story to life, narrated by Matt Lucas.

• SINderella – The All Drag, Adult Panto! – December 21, Strange Brew

“Prince Charming is throwing the party of the century, and he’s invited every single maiden in the kingdom”, we are told. But what about our main girl, SINders? “Will she make it to the ball? Will she lose more than her glass slipper when the clock strikes midnight? And most importantly, will Bristol’s nine drag stars manage to remember their lines?”

Theatre

• Fall of the House of Usher, A Red Rope Theatre Production – November 12-December 6, Arnos Vale Cemetery

After six sell-out productions including Dracula, Turn of the Screw and last year’s Sherlock Holmes, Hound of the Baskervilles, Red Rope Theatre return to the Anglican Chapel, a fine setting for their version of Edgar Allen Poe’s gothic tale.

• Notting Hell: The Greatest Love Story in the Underworld – November 22-January 18, The Wardrobe Theatre and January 23-February 1, Front Room, Weston-super-Mare

A highlight of the season – and guaranteed to have a long run, such is the demand – The Wardrobe Theatre’s mashup spectacular is always worth snapping up tickets for.

• Lost Mary: A Bristolian Christmas – November 25-26, Alma Tavern & Theatre

Described as a “student-led Love Actually-inspired romantic comedy”, this family friendly play from Bristol Spotlights is the story of trainee nurse, Mary, and “self-proclaimed numbers guy”, Simon, who are thrown together on a snowy pre Christmas night at Temple Meads, when all public transport has been cancelled due to the extreme weather. How will they travel across Bristol and back home, and what could possibly await them on their journey?

• Hansel & Gretel – November 28-January 19, Tobacco Factory Theatres

Christmas magic is never in short supply at south Bristol’s leading theatre, and this adaptation follows in the footsteps of hit shows including The Snow Queen, Oz and last year’s Oliver Twist.

• Snow Mouse – November 29-January 5, the egg, Theatre Royal Bath

This delightful show for the smallest theatregoers and their families is celebrating a decade of performances this year; this is your chance to see why.

• A Christmas Carol – December 1, 16 and 20, Theatre Royal Bath

Back by popular demand, Guy Masterson returns with his multi-role masterclass performance of the Charles Dickens seasonal classic.

• Santa & Sven – December 3, Front Room, Weston-super-Mare and December 8 (multiple times), The Wardrobe Theatre

A funny and touching sprinkle of Christmas magic which you’d be hard pressed not to be enchanted by, whatever your age.

• Me – December 5-January 5, Tobacco Factory Theatres

Little Angel Theatre bring Emma Dodd’s picture book to life in a visually rich and beautiful tale about a baby penguin as he learns to navigate his frozen surroundings.

• The Little Mermaid – December 5-January 11, Bristol Old Vic

This year, Bristol Old Vic dives under the sea for its much-anticipated seasonal blockbuster, as returning writer Sonalia Bhattacharyya’s gives the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale a thoroughly contemporary twist. Miranda Cromwell directs, back in the place where it all started – originating her garlanded career in theatre as the director of Young Company back in 2007.

• Little Red (& Other Winter Tales) – December 6-January 12, The Weston Studio, Bristol Old Vic

Aimed at 3-7 year olds, Lisa Gregan directs a re-telling of Little Red Riding Hood, along with The Red Shoes and The Little Match Girl; stories of “absent parents, dance-offs and finding the heart of Christmas”. There are a number of ‘pyjama nights’ within the run, in which audience members are encouraged to arrive extra comfy and cosy, with fancy hot chocolate available to purchase in the bar.

• Yara in the Wild Wood – December 7-January 5, Front Room, Weston-super-Mare

Front Room presents “an endearing tale of friendship and adventure for all the family”, with original music and plenty of puppetry, as Yara finds that life in the woods is more complicated than she first thought.

• Living Spit’s A Christmas Carol – December 9-January 5, Tobacco Factory Theatres

Musical comedy theatre powerhouses, Living Spit, reprise their version of Dickens’ timeless morality tale. A year on from Howard Coggins’ death, Bristol actor and Living Spit co-founder Craig Edwards, who has directed all of the company’s shows, steps into the role of Ebenezer Scrooge, opposite Stu McLoughlin.

• Let There Be Mud – December 13-30, Front Room, Weston-super-Mare

It’s not the traditional seasonal story, but rather “a classic tale of time-travelling Victorians hell bent on taking back their seaside towns”. Replete, we are assured, with more than a dollop of satirical humour and storytelling fun.

• A Winter’s Tail – December 18 (two performances), Trinity Bristol

An interactive story from The Last Baguette theatre company, starring Ratty and her friends as they journey towards the winter woodland. Aimed at children of 2+, but open to all.

• The Snow Baby – December 20-30, The Wardrobe Theatre

With their usual blend of puppetry, music and lyricism, Soap Soup Theatre present a heartwarming story of family, love and loss, set in a snowy forest. It is aimed at children of 3-8 and their families.

Comedy and Improv

• Utter Rot and Poppycock: An especially special Christmas Special – December 1, The Bristol Improv Theatre

In a night at which fancy dress is “incredibly welcome”, the self-described “utterly splendid absurdist cabaret” collective promise to make it weird in a multitude of different ways.

• Stand Up For the Weekend – December 7, 14 and 21, Hen & Chicken Studio

Presented by The Comedy Box at a consistently great room for standup, mixed bills every Saturday night in the run-up to Christmas will feature acts including Rachel Fairburn, Markus Birdman, Rob Deering, Jeremy Flynn and Eva Bindeman.

• Camp as Christmas – Out of the Wardrobe Seasonal Special ft Jen Brister & Friends – December 14, 1532 Performing Arts Centre

Morgan Rees hosts an extra special slice of the monthly LGBTQ+ comedy showcase, headlined by the blisteringly funny Jen Brister, alongside rising stars Dee Allum and Sharon Wanjohi.

• The Improv Spotlight: Holiday Special – December 14, PRSC

In a night of guaranteed spontaneity, Bristol improv group Beansville present: It’s a Wonderful Video Store – a fully improvised Christmas movie, and What Happened in The Interval will be transporting audience members to the panto.

• This Is Your Festive Musical! – December 15-17, The Bristol Improv Theatre

Completely made up and different every time: that is the This Is Your Musical! promise. Join the fray for a riotous evening with a Christmassy twist.

• CatGPT: The Nightmare Before Christmas – December 15, The Hen & Chicken Studio

Fresh from a successful Edinburgh Fringe run, Robin Wealleans’ genre-defying show is billed as “a Welshman’s attempts to bring back to life his beloved dead cat Lentil by using sophisticated robotics, sensors, complex AI and visuals”.

• I Saw Mommy Killing Santa Claus – December 19-21, The Bristol Improv Theatre

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
And then there was Santa, clothed all in red,
Lying still on the floor, holly, jolly, and dead! –

it can only be a festive whodunnit from the makers of Murder, She Didn’t’ Write.

Circus, Dance and Cabaret

• Christmas at The Spiegeltent – November 28-December 21, Waterfront Square

The always magical experience of stepping inside to the late 19th century mirrored tent makes it the ideal venue for a festive programme, and the Spigeltent organisers never disappoint. This year’s eclectic programme features Bridgerton in concert by candlelight, Shindig Festival’s Slamboree, the Puppini Sisters, returning family favourites including Kid Carpet, Baby Disko and Junior Jungle, and Bristol24/7’s very own 10-year anniversary takeover, B10.

• From The Mud Cabaret: Christmas Edition – December 4, Front Room, Weston-super-Mare

The cabaret that originated as an online experience during the pandemic has evolved into a sell-out monthly variety show from an emerging artists’ collective. Expect the unexpected: from poetry to music and comedy to acting, and everything in between.

• Brizzle Boyz – Drag King Cabaret – Chilly Willies! – December 6, Strange Brew

Bristol’s famed queer punk drag king cabaret is back, hosted by Oliver Assets and Fluxx Wyldly. Billed as “a Christmassy themed drag-vent calendar delight”, this one is likely to sell out early.

• The Fairytale of Cinderella – December 7, 1532 Performing Arts Centre

A family-friendly ballet show from Miss Daisy’s Dance Team, bringing a beloved fairy tale to life through music, movement, and no small amount of sparkle.

• Sexquisite Christmas – December 11, Loco Klub

A seasonal edition of the night destigmatising sex work through an enlightening concoction of live art and activism, complete with merch, a raffle, and plenty of opportunity to “make it rain”.

• Mother Deer – December 22-24, Circomedia

Follow Mother Deer as she tries to restore sunshine to the forest. Created by Acrobatic Adventures and commissioned by Circomedia, this is an enchanting, family-friendly winter show that blends aerial circus with dance and sensory theatre to tell a timeless tale of the Winter Solstice.

Film

• Bristol Film Festival – Christmas screenings – multiple dates/venues in December

This year’s programme encompasses a clutch of seasonal classics at a variety of unique Bristol venues: from The Muppet Christmas Carol at The Mount Without to Die Hard and It’s A Wonderful Life at Averys Wine Cellars, while Armada House will host The Nightmare Before Christmas, Love Actually, Elf, The Polar Express, Home Alone and a double bill of The Snowman and The Snowman & The Snowdog.

Music

• Bristol Beacon – Christmas concerts – multiple dates in December

Amongst the many concerts with a festive flavour at the Beacon this year, there is the Winter Sing School’s Concert, alongside A Bristol Choral Christmas, a folk evening with The Unthanks in Winter, and the Mozart Symphony Orchestra’s live scoring of much-loved family films The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo’s Child and The Snowman.

• Bristol Cathedral events and concerts – multiple dates in December

With a packed programme of events to round off the year, standouts at Bristol Cathedral this year include Blue Christmas, described as “a service of comfort and light for those experiencing loss, loneliness or despair”, alongside Beer & Carols, Ian Anderson presents: Christmas with Jethro Tull, and the ever-popular Carols by Candlelight and Toddler’s Carols.

• St George’s Bristol Christmas programme – multiple dates in December

Orchestral highlights of a busy month at St George’s include the annual Christmas Spectacular and Festive Fiesta concerts, and Bristol Ensemble’s interactive and family-focused Christmas Carnival. For choral fans, there will be performances from City Voices, Bristol Bach Choir and a candelit recital of the ever-popular Handel’s Messiah.

• Factory Singers Christmas Extravaganza! – December 2, Tobacco Factory Theatres

The annual singalong with TFT’s community choir, who encourage you to “don your jingle bells and your tinsel hat” for the occasion.

• Rock The Tots – December 5, The Wardrobe Theatre

A heartwarming sing- and dance-along for little ones and their toe-tapping adults, husband and wife-led Rock The Tots have been playing family gigs since 2018. Expect a particularly festive flavour to this one, of course.

• Chapel Concerts series – December 7, 14, 21, Tyntesfield

On the three Saturdays before Christmas, Tyntesfield will play host to a series of afternoon Chapel Concerts, from the extraordinary gospel singers of Renewal Choir to the debut recital from The Fitzhardinge Consort and a seasonal special from Bristol Gay Men’s Chorus.

• Community Christmas with St Agnes Church – December 14, St Paul’s Church (Circomedia)

An evening of favourite carols and songs led by St Agnes choir, as well as a puppet Nativity, set in the splendour of St Paul’s Church – home to Circomedia.

• A Christmas Ceilidh – December 15-16, The Jam Jar

An epic knees up powered by Fitty Gomash & Friends, and “a chance to shake your tinsel and baubles with the best of them”, all to the best in Irish and Scottish folk music. In addition to the evening events, there will be a special family ceilidh on the Saturday afternoon.

• Vivaldi Four Seasons at Christmas by Candlelight – December 21, St Mary Redcliffe Church

A programme of much-loved music performed by members of The Piccadilly Sinfonietta, and Izzy Howard on violin, setting the tone in the last week before Christmas.

Main photo: Soap Soup Theatre (Tomasin Cuthbert Menes in The Snow Baby)

Read next:

• Bristol’s best Christmas shows 2023
• ‘Noel West’: shining a light on Bristol’s brightest corner at Christmas
• Review: Belle and Sebastien, The Weston Studio, Bristol Old Vic – ‘Utterly gorgeous’