Top theatre to see in London in December

Find out the best shows to see in London in December 2024, including festive classics like The Snowman, and hit musicals.

We might be heading into the coldest, darkest time of the year, but it’s the most festive season for theatre – so banish the December chill with a trip to a London show. There’s so much to choose from, whether you’re looking for the perfect Christmas outing or the latest must-see play or musical.

You can also celebrate Christmas with festive shows like The Snowman and the Globe’s Hansel and Gretel. Plus there’s a theatrical Peppa Pig to keep youngsters entertained during the school holidays.

Musicals include the return of Only Fools and Horses to the West End and Tina Fey's Mean Girls, while Tye Blue, Marla Mindelle and Constantine Rousouli's Titanique has made the journey across the Atlantic.

Book tickets to London shows in December on London Theatre.

Mean Girls, Savoy Theatre

Plastic has never been more fantastic than in this hilarious musical. Based on writer Tina Fey’s supremely popular teen flick, Mean Girls has spawned a loyal fan base as well as its own vocabulary. Home-schooled Cady Heron receives a baptism of fire when she joins North Shore High and is confronted by troublesome trio Regina, Gretchen and Karen, the “Plastics” who rule the school. The ensuing power struggle is littered with smart dialogue and top tunes. Buy a ticket, loser.

Book Mean Girls tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk

A Christmas Carol (ish), @sohoplace

Dickens goes showbiz in this loose comic adaptation that sees Santa visited by three ghosts after he decides to cancel Christmas on Christmas Eve. Ted Lasso’s Nick Mohammed – adopting his alter-ego, Mr Swallow – plays the Santa/Scrooge character, with able support provided by Martha Howe-Douglas (Ghosts), David Elms (Borderline) and Kieran Hodgson (Two Doors Down). With just a few hours to go and only one working reindeer, can Christmas be saved? Forget Dickensian workhouses, this production promises show tunes and sequins.

Book A Christmas Carol (ish) tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk

The Snowman, Peacock Theatre

Raymond Briggs’s festive favourite leaps off the page and on to the stage in this magical adaptation. When a young boy’s snowman comes to life at midnight on Christmas Eve, he’s taken on a fantastic journey to the North Pole that culminates in a jaunty jig with a bunch of international snowmen and a meeting with Santa himself. This is the 27th year of Birmingham Rep’s production at the Peacock Theatre and its parade of prancing animals and dancing fruit continues to enchant children and adults alike. A perfect Christmas outing for all the family, and expect nostalgic sniffles during the classic song “Walking in the Air”.

Book The Snowman tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Titanique, Criterion Theatre

Picture, if you will, a Titanic museum tour that Céline Dion unexpectedly gatecrashes to narrate her own version of the film’s events, revealing what really happened to Jack and Rose. This is the premise of Titanique – a jukebox musical written by Tye Blue, Marla Mindelle and Constantine Rousouli that parodies the 1997 monster movie while utilising Dion’s back catalogue. All the hits are here, including “I Drove All Night” and, of course, “My Heart Will Go On”. Camper than a row of tents, the off- Broadway production received high praise from punters and critics alike and this new version sails into the Criterion just in time for Christmas.

Book Titanique tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Hansel and Gretel, Shakespeare’s Globe

Welcome to the “Snow” Globe, which becomes an enchanting site of storytelling come the festive season. Snuggle up with a warm drink and get lost in a timeless fable – which is told with music, magic, and wonder.

In 2024, the Christmas tale is the Brothers Grimm’s Hansel and Gretel. Poet Laureate Simon Armitage gives us his fresh take on the story of the siblings’ adventures in the woods.

Book Hansel and Gretel tickets on London Theatre.

Peppa Pig’s Fun Day Out, Theatre Royal Haymarket

You’re invited to join Peppa – plus her family and friends – on a fun-packed day out, from a zoo trip to a beach party and more.

Peppa Pig’s Fun Day Out joyfully translates the beloved cartoon to stage, adding songs, dances and plenty of muddy puddles to keep young audiences engaged. This could be the perfect introduction to theatre.

Book Peppa Pig’s Fun Day Out tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Only Fools and Horses The Musical, Eventim Apollo

The Trotters of Peckham are back – again! This musical version of the hit sitcom had a four-year West End run, and now it’s returning for an encore at the Eventim Apollo. Pukka!

Jim Sullivan, son of the show’s creator John Sullivan, brings Del Boy, Rodney, Grandad, and all the gang to stage, with original songs by Chas and Dave. Only a 42-carat plonker would miss out on this lovely-jubbly Christmas treat.

Book Only Fools and Horses The Musical tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Christmas by Candlelight, St Giles-in-the-Fields

Enjoy a very special concert at this beautiful London venue, as a live string quartet plays festive music by candlelight.

It’s an intimate, serene experience – the perfect antidote to a busy time of year, and a memorable musical outing to share with friends, family and loved ones.

Book Christmas by Candlelight tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Photo credit: Titanique cast. (Photo by Emilio Madrid)