Festive Theatre Guide

Kick off the festive season on Tuesday 25 November with an evening of festive sparkle with John Barrowman – Camp as Christmas. The show brings together classic Christmas songs and carols with Barrowman’s trademark humour, warmth and storytelling. It’s a cheeky mix of music and laughter, plus a few surprises along the way.

Enjoy a toe-tapping start to the festive season with That’ll Be Christmas on 27 November with a feel-good show from the creators of That’ll Be The Day. This brand-new production brings together Christmas classics, rock and roll hits and plenty of laughs, performed live by a talented cast and brilliant musicians. There’ll be familiar songs, great harmonies and a mix of music and comedy sketches that capture the nostalgic spirit of Christmas. It’s a lively, crowd-pleaser and something a little bit different this Christmas. 

Festive fun for the whole family, settle down for a classic fairytale brought to life, complete with fire breathing dragons, spectacular scenery and plenty of laugh out loud comedy as the pantomime Sleeping Beauty comes to The Marina Theatre. When Princess Ariana falls under a sleeping spell cast by the evil fairy Carabosse, Prince Benedict races to break it with true love’s kiss. This year, the Marina’s festive panto Sleeping Beauty features Britain’s Got Talent Golden Buzzer winner Alice Carlile as the princess, Bad Girls and Emmerdale’s Nicole Faraday as Carabosse, and Lowestoft’s favourite Terry Gleed returning as Chester the Jester. Expect big songs, lively dance numbers and lots of booing and cheering, with performances running from Friday 12th December to New Year’s day. 

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Tennessee Country Christmas brings a taste of Nashville to the Suffolk coast with a show packed full of festive cheer and classic country hits. Audiences will enjoy performances inspired by legends such as Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash and Garth Brooks, along with seasonal favourites delivered in toe-tapping country style. The concert features a live band, fun costumes and plenty of singalong moments, blending Southern charm with a little bit of Christmas sparkle.

Step into Christmas brings a touch of West End sparkle to the Spa Pavilion with an all-singing, all-dancing festive variety show packed with seasonal favourites on 14 December. Audiences can look forward to classic Christmas hits performed by a talented cast of singers and dancers, complete with dazzling costumes, glittering lights and heartwarming moments that capture the spirit of the season. It’s a feel-good celebration of music and theatre that promises to leave you humming carols all the way home.

This Christmas, the Spa Pavilion celebrates a landmark 60 years of pantomime with Jack and the Beanstalk, running from Saturday 20 December 2025 to Sunday 4 January 2026. This year’s show promises plenty of festive fun as Jack trades the family’s prize cow for a handful of magic beans and finds himself climbing a towering beanstalk to outwit a fearsome giant. Containing all the much-loved panto traditions, plus colourful costumes and lively songs, laugh-out-loud comedy and audience participation. Come along and continue a long-standing Spa Pavilion tradition.

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This December the Fisher Theatre welcomes back the beloved festive show Christmas Crooners, returning for its eighth consecutive year of sell-out performances on Wednesday 10 December 2025 at 7.30pm. The evening pays tribute to the golden age of swing and the big band era, with a cast of vocalists who have performed for the Queen and on BBC Radio 2. Expect an uplifting mix of holiday classics such as Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, White Christmas and It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas, delivered with harmony and even a bit of audience participation - be quick though as there's only a few seats left! Alternatively, you can catch the show at to The Seagull Theatre in Lowestoft on Saturday 6 December.

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From 5-14 December, the talented Co-Op Juniors return to Snape Maltings with their annual Christmas extravagazna, Magic of Christmas 2025. With prancing reindeer, rocking santas, a moving nativity scene, toe-tapping music and dynamic dancing, this has everything for a perfect Christmas treat for the whole family.

Continue an enchanting seasonal tradition, but with a twist, as The Snowman with Live Orchestra takes the stage at Snape Maltings on Sunday 21 December 2025. The beloved film has become synonymous with nostalgic Christmas magic, with its wordless heart-wrenching story and soaring score being enjoyed year after year. Audiences will be treated to a screening of the classic animation accompanied by a live orchestral performance from the pit.

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On 12 December, Jazz at the Movies – A Swinging Christmas brings vintage style and festive sparkle to Southwold Arts Centre this December. The acclaimed five-piece band, featuring singer Joanna Eden alongside some of the UK’s top jazz musicians, performs jazzy interpretations of Christmas songs from classic films such as White Christmas, The Polar Express and Elf. It’s a unique festive angle on the traditional jazz show. 

Returning to Southwold on 23 & 24 December, Santa's Christmas Show follows the delightfully chaotic crew of Elves who keep Santa’s Workshop running. Expect laughter, music, mischief—and of course a special appearance from Rudolph. And yes, Santa himself will be there, making sure everything stays on (mostly!) the right track. Suitable for all ages, with something for everyone. Plus—every child gets a gift and the chance to have their photo taken with Santa!

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The perfect Christmas tale, actor and writer Guy Masterson brings Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol to The Swan in Southwold for a special one-man performance on 21 December. Masterson, renowned for his award-winning solo productions, retells the timeless story of Ebenezer Scrooge and his ghostly visitors with gravitas and captivating multi-rolling. 

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Suffolk Red Rose Chain bring their trademark creativity and humour to the stage this Christmas with Alice in Wonderland at The Avenue Theatre from 2 December - 4 January. The company is well loved across Suffolk, particularly for their playful outdoor Shakespeare productions at Sutton Hoo each summer, and their festive shows are no exception. This year’s production promises a wonderfully bonkers retelling of Lewis Carroll’s classic tale, filled with colourful characters, original music and plenty of laughs for all ages.

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Eastern Angles return with their much-anticipated festive production, this year setting sail on Treasure Island. Known for their witty scripts, imaginative staging and Suffolk twists on classic tales, the company promise a show packed with adventure, comedy and local flavour. Expect a lively mix of pirates, treasure maps and sea shanties as Robert Louis Stevenson’s story gets the Eastern Angles treatment, blending clever writing with plenty of laughs and a few unexpected turns along the way. Performances run at The Eastern Angles Centre from 27 November - 4 January before heading out on tour across the region.

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The grand Regent Theatre will glow with festive warmth this December as The Candlelight Concert returns for another year of seasonal music and celebration on 5 December. Surrounded by hundreds of flickering candles, a live orchestra and choir perform much-loved carols and Christmas classics in a setting that’s both intimate and awe-inspiring. It’s the perfect setting to soak up powerful renditions of traditional favourites alongside cinematic scores in a magical evening of seasonal classics. 

Get ready for a night of laughter as the Regent Theatre hosts Live at Christmas, a festive comedy special featuring an outstanding line-up of comedians on 7 December. This year’s bill includes award-winning stand-up Sam Campbell, Taskmaster star Bridget Christie, actor and comic Tom Rosenthal, and the brilliantly funny Amy Gledhill. Each brings their own style and sharp wit to a show that promises plenty of festive cheer and a good dose of mischief.

Panto comes to Ipswich Regent from 12-31 December with Cinderella - The Christmas Panto. Watch with amazement as Cinderella’s pumpkin and white mice are transformed into a beautiful coach and horses in this true rags-to-riches tale.

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Beauty and the Beast enchants the stage at the New Wolsey Theatre from Friday 21 November to Saturday 17 January 2026. This Rock ’n’ Roll panto brings Belle and her quirky companion Pigeon together in a quest to break a 1000-year-old curse cast by the wicked Snarlina, with help from the magical Beast and a host of music, laughs and audience fun. With a live band and pop hits woven in, get ready to sparkle your way into Christmas. 

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An evening of spine-tingling storytelling; Ghost Stories for Christmas comes to Aldeburgh Jubilee Hall on Friday 19 December 2025. Presented by Edwardian Tales, this one-man show revives the Victorian tradition of sharing eerie tales at Christmastime, made famous by Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and later by writers such as M.R. James. Enjoy classic ghost stories told by candlelight, filled with atmosphere, suspense and a touch of old-fashioned theatricality. 

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