It’s that time of year again, with curtains rising on panto season around the region, and there are some great shows to be seen.
Our £10 Family Day Ticket offers great value, covering up to two adults and three children aged under 16, so you can put your travel worries behind you.
Here’s our guide to 11 magical North East pantomimes…
Peter Pan at Newcastle Theatre Royal – 28 November until 21 January
Hook your seats early for the North East’s biggest and most spectacular pantomime and join the record-breaking trio of Clive, Danny and Chris for an unmissable adventure to Neverland!
Robinson Crusoe at Gala Durham – 23 November until 6 January
From the team that brought you the Gala Theatre’s biggest-selling pantomime ever Jack and the Beanstalk comes the swashbuckling tale of Robinson Crusoe. Get ready to set sail into a nautical world of hilarity and adventure, as we join Robinson Crusoe (Jamie Brown) on his quest to find adventure, romance and the fabled Pearl of Wisdom.
Jack and the Beanstalk at Sunderland Empire – 15 December until 7 January
FEE, FI, FO, FUM, WE SMELL CHRISTMAS PANTO FUN!
From the producers behind Sleeping Beauty comes a pantomime that’s guaranteed to scale great heights and offer you a gigantic helping of magic – Jack and the Beanstalk.
The Lambton Worm at Customs House South Shields – 28 November until 6 January
Celebrating 150 years of The Lambton Worm folk song! The little panto with the big heart is back with an all new fun-filled adventure based on the famous tale of The Lambton Worm.
Alice in Wonderland at Northern Stage – 25 November until 6 January
A big, bold, bonkers, all-singing, all-dancing show from the same team that brought you the sell-out James and the Giant Peach.
Alice is a whizz at card tricks, hates sitting still and always asks too many questions. One day her curiosity leads her tumbling into Wonderland where everything is so topsy-turvy her feet can barely keep up with her thoughts.
Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs at Tyne Theatre and Opera House – 8 December until 31 December
The most magical pantomime ever told, where poor Snow White is doomed to live UN-happily ever after with her horrid stepmother the Wicked Queen. In a true rags to riches story Snow White manages, with the help of her madcap friend Muddles, to meet a handsome Prince and make all her dreams come true.
Cinderella at Playhouse Whitley Bay – 2 December until 7 January
X Factor finalist and West End performer Ray Quinn headlines this year’s pantomime, Cinderella, playing the part of Prince Charming, the lovable prince who rescues Cinderella from her Ugly Sisters at Hardup Hall.
Jack and the Beanstalk at Time Square Newcastle – 11 until 30 December
A giant pantomime adventure is sprouting up in Times Square Newcastle. Starring Newcastle’s own Denise Welch as Mother Nature and Emmerdale/I’m A Celebrity’s Adam Thomas as hero Jack. Join Jack, his trusty cow and grab your magic harp, as we take you on an unforgettable journey into the clouds in our purpose built Pantodrome in the heart of the city.
Cinderella at Consett Empire – 2 until 31 December
Consett’s smash hit family pantomime returns packed full of hilarious characters, magical sets, glittering costumes, fun surprises and lots of audience participation!
Wizard of Oz at Queen’s Hall Arts in Hexham – 14 until 30 December
In a brand-new adaptation of L Frank Baum’s ‘The Wizard of Oz’, the Oddsocks troupe invites you to meet Dorothy as you’ve never seen her before.
Cinderella at Billingham Forum – 2 December until 7 January
Make sure you get your favourite seats for what promises to be a fantastic festive treat with some very special surprises.