They’re joined by three more familiar face this year, regular Clare Gray, continuing the legacy of her much-loved dad, Andy, returns as the lovable Pat the Cow, while Shieldinch’s favourite GP, Gail Watson, is also back, this time for her third ‘King’s’ panto, playing the mythical Spirit of the Beans. Finally, after enchanting audiences in her Edinburgh debut as Cinderella last year, Amber Sylvia-Edwards is back as Princess Jill.

Expect all the usual gags, routines and mayhem as well as the biggest, most impressive, death-defying beanstalk climb you might ever see. Having seen it at London’s Palladium Theatre a couple of years ago, I can tell you this, this beanstalk is a showstealer. Let’s hope Jordan has been keeping fit for the climb. Or maybe it will be Jill who embarks on the climb? Wouldn’t be the first time. We’ll have to wait and see.
Running time TBC with one interval. Tickets here: https://www.pantomime.com/venues/edinburgh

At The Playhouse, however, we’re off on a trip to the Greek islands as another festive production of Mamma Mia! (9 December 2025-4 January 2026) guarantees an ABBA-tastic Christmas, at the Greenside Place venue. Twenty-six year’s after it premiered on London’s West End, and more than two decades after it first visited The Playhouse, the sunny, funny tale of a mother, a daughter and three possible dads reunited on a Greek island idyll, has now been seen by a staggering 70 million people worldwide.

Sophie’s quest to discover the father she’s never known brings her mother face to face with three men from her distant romantic past on the eve of a wedding they’ll never forget. It’s a story set to  unfold to a soundtrack of ABBA’s timeless pop masterpieces… to paraphrase the title track, ‘how could we resist it’?

Mamma Mia! is no stranger to winter in Edinburgh, the sun-filled musical first visited the 3,000+ capacity Playhouse for a 12 week season back in 2004, a season that took it into 2005. 2016 saw it return, again just as the Christmas trees went up, this time for a five week festive season. Three years later, the juke-box favourite was back, opening its 20th anniversary UK tour there too – although that was in September, just missing out on the mistletoe and fairy lights. So, ‘here we go again’, just remember, leave the singing to the cast.
Running time 2 hours 35 minutes including interval. Tickets here: https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/mamma-mia/edinburgh-playhouse/

Across town, at the Royal Lyceum, Cinderella: A Fairytale (until 3 January 2026)  eschews the traditional panto retelling of the magical fairy story in favour of Sally Cookson’s celebrated adaptation, which brings music, puppetry and a ‘magical flutter of wings’ on the way to another ‘happily ever after’.

Ella and her devoted father share a love for woodland birds and their calls, but when her father remarries, everything changes. Now Ella’s feathered friends feel like her only true family. Until one day, a mysterious boy stumbles upon Ella’s tree hideout with an invitation to The Queen’s Celebratory Ball. Can Ella make it to the ball in time? And is there more to her bird friends than meets the eye? A production that has already entertained audiences around the UK, if you’re not a panto fan, this Cinderella could be for you.
Running time 2 hours including interval. Tickets here: https://lyceum.org.uk/events/cinderella-a-fairytale

Looking for a Christmas show for kids aged 3+? Then head to The Studio, just behind the Festival Theatre. There you will find Snowy (17-31 December), a children’s show perfect for the wee ones aged. Join Snowy the pup on his enchanting adventure to save Christmas. Step into a magical snow globe as Snowy accidentally throws the city’s festive celebrations into chaos, she must put things right. But can one little dog really save Christmas?
Running time 1 hour. Tickets here: https://www.capitaltheatres.com/shows/snowy/#bookings

Finally if you’re taking a family theatre break to London this December, then I have the perfect show for you. My Neighbour Totoro, running at the Gillian Lynne Theatre in the heart of London’s West End, is a magical tale of love and woodland spirits, all the way from Japan. The Royal Shakespeare Company production, and winner of six Olivier Awards, broke Box Office records for the most tickets sold in a single day, when it first opened in London. Based on the much loved Studio Ghibli film, the story explores sisterhood, the importance of the natural world and family.

Satsuki and Mei’s mother has taken ill. In order to be closer to her while she recovers in a rural convalescent hospital, their father moves the two sisters from their home in a city to the countryside. And though the countryside is beautiful and the people friendly, it’s hard not to be scared when the wind rustles the trees at night.

As the sisters explore their new surroundings, young Mei encounters magical creatures and the ancient protector of the forest she calls Totoro – and they are to be the  girls’ neighbours.

Although Satsuki doesn’t believe her little sister at first, they are soon both swept up in exciting adventures with their new neighbours  – transported to a long-forgotten realm of spirits, sprites, and natural wonder.

A heart-warming and quite mesmerising piece of theatre that speaks to the child in all of us, My Neighbour Totoro is a Must See. Meet the stars of the show and find out more about it by going to MustSeeTheatre.com where you can read my exclusive interview with Victoria Chen and Ami Okumura Jones who play sisters Satsuki and Mei in the show.

And that’s us for another year, hope you’ve seen some amazing productions over the last 12 months, I know I have – watch out for the 2026 Must See Theatre Awards, coming soon.

For now though, may I wish you all a peaceful Christmas and theatre-filled New Year,

Liam