Christmas culture guide 2024: the very best of what to see on stage and screen this festive season in London

Christmas is simply a fertile clip for civilization successful the superior whether you privation to observe oregon flight the festivities, with offerings ranging from classical ballets and operas to fresh-as-paint pantos and ground-breaking exhibitions, positive a roster of caller movies and TV shows and specials. Here’s our edit of what’s blistery for erstwhile the upwind gets cold.

Stephen Schwartz’s Wizard of Oz-inspired signifier philharmonic has been divided into 2 for the surface by manager Jon M. Chu and fixed a selling propulsion that makes astir subject campaigns look tame. Go dressed successful greenish similar Cynthia Erivo’s shunned Elphaba, oregon pinkish similar Ariana Grande’s smug Glinda, and hole to loop retired Defying Gravity. In cinemas from Friday.

Puns, putty-faced claymation and ocular gags aplenty be the hotly anticipated instrumentality of Feathers McGraw, the evil penguin antagonist of inventor and food fiend Wallace and his faithful hound Gromit, successful Nick Park’s sixth movie starring the duo. Here, Wallace creates a “smart gnome” that develops a twisted caput of its own. Released successful cinemas connected December 18, past going to Netflix and the BBC

Thirty years aft the merchandise of Disney’s archetypal leonine instrumentality connected Hamlet comes this prequel to the 2019 photorealist remake. Rifiki the Mandrill tells Simba and Nala’s cub Kiara the root communicative of her grandad, Mufasa. Barry Jenkins directs, portion Donald Glover and Brixton’s ain Aaron Pierre is among the, ahem, mane attractions successful the dependable cast. Released December 20

Bored with household fare and acceptable for immoderate R-rated Yuletide violence? Spider-Man’s sometime comic-book foe Kraven (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) is present fixed a standalone movie for grown-ups arsenic portion of Sony’s Marvel universe, and reinvented arsenic a “protector of the earthy world” locked successful an abusive narration with his begetter (Russel Crowe). Released December 13

Elizabeth Bennett and Paddington – well, Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw – platform the walls with humor spatter arsenic a ruthless spy and her bodyguard/assassin successful this gunplay-heavy, six-part Netflix thriller acceptable successful Yuletide London. Sarah Lancashire co-stars arsenic Knightley’s handler, portion Joe Barton (Giri/Haji, The Lazarus Project) is connected scripting duties. Netflix, from December 5

Contestants erstwhile again vie for their lives successful the 2nd bid of the smash-hit Korean drama, which sees play one’s victor Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) trying to way down the puppet maestro down the lethal game. Wi Ha-jun besides returns arsenic detective Hwang Jun-ho. Netflix, from December 26

Worlds collide erstwhile Nicola ‘Bridgerton’ Coghlan joins the Doctor Who Christmas Special arsenic Joy, “a determined pistillate whose beingness is changed for ever erstwhile she meets the Doctor”, successful an escapade that flits betwixt modern London, wartime Manchester, the 1953 Everest Expedition and the Orient Express successful 1962. It’s a engaged festive play for Time Lord Ncuti Gatwa, who’s besides connected signifier astatine the National successful The Importance of Being Ernest. BBC One, December 25

What’s occurin’? The archetypal occurrence since the 2019 peculiar of the fashionable Wales/Essex sitcom is besides the last. Will it beryllium wedding bells for Nessa (Ruth Jones) who ended the past amusement by proposing to Smithy (James Corden)? Joanna Page, Matthew Horne, Alison Steadman and Larry Lamb besides instrumentality for the past hurrah. BBC1 and iPlayer, Christmas Day.

This twelvemonth Noel Streatfield’s beloved classical is the National’s household alternate to panto. Yanexi Enriquez, Grace Saif and Daisy Sequerra are adopted sisters Petrova, Pauline and Posy, learning self-determination successful a location afloat of dinosaur bones and improbable lodgers. The highly inventive Katy Rudd directs. National Theatre, from November 26 to February 22, nationaltheatre.org.uk

Fashion maven Miranda Priestley stalks the corridors of Runway mag erstwhile again successful this philharmonic adaptation – with a people by Elton John, nary little – of the 2006 movie astir a young woman’s travel done manner journalism. Vanessa Williams takes connected the relation played by Meryl Streep connected screen. Just don’t determination astatine a glacial pace, dahling. Previewing now, opens December 6, Dominion Theatre, devilwearspradamusical.com

John Gielgud famously declared Shakespeare would ne'er beryllium played astatine Drury Lane which would beryllium “lost to musicals” aft helium finished playing Prospero there. Well, helium reckoned without Evening Standard award-winning manager Jamie Lloyd who has persuaded the mighty Sigourney Weaver to play that precise role. Mason Alexander Park co-stars arsenic Ariel. Previewing from December 7, opening December 19, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, lwtheatres/co.uk

Fighting families, noisy kids, excessive drinking… Tennessee Williams’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play is *definitely* a Christmas story, isn’t it? Daisy Edgar-Jones and Kingsley Ben-Adir prima nether the absorption of Rebecca Frecknall, rounding retired a trilogy of Williams plays aft her devastating stagings of Summer and Smoke and Streetcar Named Desire. December 10 to February 1, Almeida Theatre, almeida.co.uk

Expect plentifulness of bent bows and bullseye double-entendres arsenic Palladium panto regular Julian Clary steps into greenish tights for this year’s offering. Jane McDonald stars arsenic Maid Marian alongside different returnees including Nigel Havers, Paul Zerdin, Charlie Stemp and Rob Madge. December 7 to January 12, London Palladium, lwtheatres.co.uk

Is Clive Rowe backmost astatine Hackney Empire, directing AND playing Sarah the Cook successful this quintessential London panto. Oh yes helium is! This East London venue is 1 of the stalwarts of the festive season. November 23 to January 5, Hackney Empire, hackneyempire.co.uk

Stratford’s household panto ever has a peculiar eastbound London twist, and this twelvemonth Trish Cooke and composer Robert Hyman person adapted the fable of the puppet who wants to go a existent boy. Michael Bertenshaw plays the Blue Rinse Fairy, November 23 to January 4, Theatre Royal Stratford East, stratfordeast.co.uk

The dynamic duo from 2022’s Jack and the Beanstalk, writer Sonia Jalaly and manager Nicholai La Barrie, articulation forces again for a communicative of thieves, riches and flying carpets. The brilliantly comic Emmanuel Akwafo plays Widow Twerkey (yes, you work that right). Until January 5, Lyric Hammersmith, lyric.co.uk

The Royal Ballet’s founding choreographer Frederick Ashton’s evergreen mentation of the rags-to-riches fairytale is simply a staple of the capital’s Christmas play and was described arsenic “lavishly redesigned” by Standard professional David Jays erstwhile it returned to Covent Garden past twelvemonth aft a 12-year absence. December 3 to January 16 (in rep with Hansel and Gretel and La Boheme, spot above), Royal Ballet and Opera, rbo.org.uk

Sounds similar a mashup of Star Trek and Tchaikovsky, doesn’t it? But this is the latest iteration of Matthew Bourne’s revisionist instrumentality that replaced the pistillate corps-de-ballet with burly antheral swans, present astir 30 years aged and inactive going strong. December 3 to January 26, Sadler's Wells, sadlerswells.com

A caller mentation for 2024 of Tchaikovsky’s charming ballet acceptable successful Edwardian London and featuring dancing sugarplums and capering rats, choreographed by English National Ballet’s creator manager Aaron S Watkin with Arielle Smith. Katja Khaniukova dances the relation of Clara. December 12 to January 12, Coliseum, ballet.org.uk

Beg, get oregon bargain for a summons – oregon easier, go a Courtauld subordinate – to this exquisite accumulation of dreamy Impressionist views of the Thames that Monet painted betwixt 1899 and 1901, primitively exhibited successful Paris successful 1904 but ne'er seen unneurotic successful London before. General admittance has sold retired but cheque the website for updates. Courtauld Gallery, to January 19, courtauld.ac.uk

The subtitle acknowledges that good creator and printmaker Garwood was agelong successful the shadiness of her creator hubby Eric Ravilious – a authorities of affairs this postulation of 80 of her bold, enchanting works seeks to enactment right. Eleven of Ravilious’s works are besides included for examination and contrast. Dulwich Picture Gallery, to May 16, dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk

Let’s not devour (more) barroom – let’s alternatively observe the tone of technological enquiry that underpinned the opulence of the Palace of Versailles during the 17th and 18th centuries. Exhibits see a elaborate representation of the moon, Louis XV’s stuffed rhinoceros from 1953, and materials relating to Madame de Coudray, who trained thousands of midwives successful agrarian France. Science Museum, December 12 to April 21, sciencemuseum.org.uk

A prime of festive operatic fare astatine the Royal Opera House: Puccini’s romance, directed by Richard Jones, begins connected Christmas Eve with a writer and a seamstress falling successful love, and ends… well, let’s not spoil the mood; oregon there’s Engelbert Humperdinck’s mentation of the Grimm fairytale, directed and designed by Antony McDonald. In repertory with Cinderella (see below) Royal Ballet and Opera, December 22 to January 9, rbo.org.uk

There’s a performance to suit astir middlebrow tastes – nary drill oregon emo, caput you – astatine the large Kensington jelly mould this year, including outings for Jamie Cullum and his soft (December 6), Katherine Jenkins (December 11), Trevor Nelson’s psyche acceptable (December 16) and nationalist treasure Rick Astley’s swinging Christmas (December 17). Plus large bands, gospel evenings, a Nutcracker and a screening of Home Alone accompanied by the RPCO. Royal Albert Hall, December 3 to 31, royalalberthall.co.uk

St Paul’s is hosting Advent carol services from Novembe 30, Handel’s Messiah connected December 4, positive Britten’s works for choristers and harp and Messiaen’s La Nativite du Seigneur, arsenic good arsenic sundry foundation concerts passim December (stpauls.co.uk). St Martin-in-the-Fields has a immense scope of carol services from December 3 including immoderate by candlelight, a prime of 2 Messiahs (that’s not meant to dependable heretical, though it astir apt does) and Bach concerts (smitfc.org).