Christmas theatre 2017 roundup

The Little Matchgirl and Other Happier Tales
Bristol Old Vic, Nov 30-Jan 14
Emma Rice’s “exquisite” (Daily Telegraph) Shakespeare’s Globe/BOV co-pro comes to Bristol this Christmas following its critically acclaimed premiere at the Globe. Struggling to keep warm on the freezing winter streets, our impoverished heroine begins to strike her dwindling stock of matches. Each match she strikes conjures a new story, and while it burns she escapes into an enchanting world of magic and mystery.
“A hilarious and heartbreaking collection of fairy tales” Time Out
Read our review here.
bristololdvic.org.uk/the-little-matchgirl.html

The Little Matchgirl and Other Happier Tales. Pic: Steve Tanner

Reservoir Mogs
Wardrobe Theatre, to Jan 21
The brilliant Wardrobe Theatre team return with more festive classic-film-splicing inventiveness, this time creating an unholy hybrid of Cats and Reservoir Dogs.
“Ruthless, wise-cracking and overly affectionate around feeding time, meet notorious pussy posse, The Reservoir Mogs – a ferocious feline foursome on their way to crash the annual Jellicle Ball, intent on stealing the big prize.
“But when this botched heist turns into a cruel bloodbath, paws and pistols are pointed: Who can be trusted? Did someone let the cat out of the bag? Is one of them a rat?”
Read our review here.
www.thewardrobetheatre.com/livetheatre/reservoir-mogs

This and top pic: Reservoir Cats. Pics: Paul Blakemore

Snow Globe
Dec 1-Jan 7, The Lantern
All Kid Carpet wants for Christmas is snow… so he’s hired Gary Barlow’s super-massive Snow Globe to guarantee a white festive season. But the Snow Globe is a whole new, weird world and his Christmas plans are diverted by a gang of ridiculous characters, power ballads, silly dancing and a cheeky talking refrigerator. There’s a pea-sized chance of snow… but is it enough for Kid Carpet to bring on a blizzard? Fingers crossed…
Original music, comedy and theatrical chaos for ages 3-7 and their families.
Read our review here.
bristololdvic.org.uk/snow-globe.html

Snow Globe in rehearsal. Pic: Paul Blakemore

Beauty and the Beast
Tobacco Factory Theatres, Nov 30-Jan 14
Tobacco Factory Theatres team up again with world-renowned theatre company New International Encounter (Hansel and Gretel, Around the World in 80 Days).
Deep in the forest lives a very unusual figure, suffering under a terrible curse. In a poky farmhouse on the edge of town, three remarkable daughters and their weary father are struggling to make ends meet. But everything changes beyond their wildest dreams when Belle, the youngest of the daughters, dares to enter the forest…
Ages 5+. Read our review here.
tobaccofactorytheatres.com/shows/beauty-and-the-beast

Beauty and the Beast

The Ugly Duckling
Tobacco Factory Theatres, Dec 10-Jan 14
Tobacco Factory Theatres and Travelling Light reprise their first-ever co-production.
Hans Christian Andersen’s much-loved story comes springing to life at the hands of Sally Cookson, Benji Bower and Katie Sykes, with Travelling Light’s trademark joyful and moving storytelling, enchanting live music and fantastical invention.
Ages 2+, duration 45 mins.
tobaccofactorytheatres.com/shows/the-ugly-duckling

The Snow Baby
Wardrobe Theatre, Dec 16-30
Join Bristol’s Soap Soup Theatre for a magical story of castles in the air, of weathering the storm, and dreams coming true in the most unexpected ways.
“Deep in the remote snowy forest an icy wind blows and snowflakes fall from the sky. Doris and her Bear Man live on the hill, alone but happy. Wrapped up in a snowy smother, they are in love. But when the snowstorm comes, Doris’ Bear Man disappears! How will Doris survive by herself in a forest plagued with nothing but bad weather and a cloud of hungry crows?”
thewardrobetheatre.com/livetheatre/the-snow-baby

Kristmas with the Kringles
Wardrobe Theatre, Dec 7-23
Return of the festive improvised comedy brought to you by the cast of the Wardrobe’s brilliant weekly improv soap opera Closer Each Day (the world’s longest improvised narrative, superlatives fans).
“Grab a mulled wine, pop on a Santa hat, don your best festive jumper and join American television stars The Kringles for a lively night of big improvised laughs and a family Christmas with a twist!”
thewardrobetheatre.com/livetheatre/kristmas-with-the-kringles

Kristmas with the Kringles

Aladdin
Hippodrome, Dec 9-Jan 7
Panto time at the Hippodrome. Starring Joe Pasquale, Marti Pellow and Hayley Tamaddon – plus all the flying carpets, fabulous cast and orchestra, laugh-out-loud comedy, stunning scenery and special effects you could wish for.
atgtickets.com/shows/aladdin-2/bristol-hippodrome

Aladdin

Living Spit’s Nativity
Clevedon Theatre Shop, Dec 12-30
Festive fun with the brilliant Living Spit.
“After their triumphant take on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, Howard and Stu are back to tackle the second greatest Christmas story ever told. Yes, that’s right folks, Living Spit are doing the NATIVITY!
“Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. A donkey, a camel and a new born lamb. A tiny baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a makeshift bed in a dilapidated farmyard outbuilding. But enough about what Stu’s bought Howard for Christmas.
“With the usual mix of silly songs, pitiful puppetry and more Biblical befuddlement than you can shake a figgy pudding at, Living Spit’s Nativity promises to be a cornucopia of comic Christmassy crudeness that you’ll never forget! Ages 16+, 90 mins.
www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com/shows/living-spits-nativity

Living Spit’s Nativity

Find all this month’s theatre listings at www.bristol247.com/whats-on/theatre