Panto season is back, oh yes it is, and families across Greater Manchester are spoilt for choice this year.
With a host of family favourites including Robin Hood, Peter Pan and Cinderella, there's something for everyone to enjoy.
And with the festive season almost upon us, tickets have already been selling fast for many of these shows, so don't hang around if you want to be sure of getting some good seats.
Read more: The ultimate guide to Christmas events for kids in Manchester
Here's what's on offer across the region this Christmas...
The Lowry
The world premiere of Claus The Musical is coming to The Lowry.
From the writer of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, this brand-new musical based on The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum, is billed as being 'as magical as Christmas itself'.
With 'spellbinding' songs from Andy Collyer, heart-warming storytelling, enchanting sets, and a whole load of festive fun, discover the story of Claus and how he became a man forever in our hearts, and on Christmas Eve, forever in our skies.
Adapted for the stage by Simon Warne, it's running from December 14 to January 8. For tickets, from £22.50, visit the website, or call 0343 208 6000.
Opera House
Comedian Jason Manford is starring in this year's Opera House show, The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan.
He will lead the cast in the role of Captain Hook, joined by returning Manchester panto favourite and Britain’s Got Talent finalist Ben Nickless as Smee and musical theatre stars Jessica Croll as Wendy and Samara Casteallo as Tinkerbell.
With 'amazing special effects, stunning sets, beautiful costumes and barrel-loads of laughter', the production promises to 'take your whole family on a swashbuckling trip to Neverland like never before'.
To book tickets, from £13, visit the website.
Albert Halls, Bolton
Jack and the Beanstalk is coming to the Albert Halls this December.
The production will feature two superstar fairies - West End star and singing legend Maureen Nolan, and Coronation Street's Connie Hyde - as well as a cast packed full of top talent.
Returning this year are Mark Two as Dame Tilly Trott, and Kelly Aaron as Princess Jill. Mark has been performing for more than 40 years and has worked with an 'illustrious catalogue of showbiz royalty'. Kelly is a local actress who starred in last year’s pantomime and can’t wait to be back again this year.
Joining them are Morgan Jackson, who comes to Bolton directly from starring in Mamma Mia in the West End, Peter Washington from Brookside, Heartbeat and Blood Brothers, and Eleanor Faye as Silly Sammi.
The panto runs from December 2 to January 1. For tickets, from £12, visit the website, or call the box office on 0343 208 0500.
Victoria Hall, Bolton
Bolton is also playing host to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs this Christmas.
The production will star Bolton’s very own David Potts, who appears as the head rep boss in the popular ITV2 reality series Ibiza Weekender, while the role of Snow White will be played by Hannah Dale.
The production runs from November 12 until January 5.
For tickets, costing £7 each, visit the website.
The Queen Elizabeth Hall, Oldham
You'll recognise many of the faces joining the cast of Cinderella at The Queen Elizabeth Hall in Oldham this year.
Former Blue Peter host Barney Harwood, Paula Lane, who played Kylie Platt in Coronation Street and Emmerdale's Katie Sugden, aka Sammy Winward, are all appearing in the production.
Presented by Anton Benson productions, it will also include Ciara McAdam as Cinderella, Chris Jefferies as Buttons, Jeffrey Longmore as Dame Hard-Up and Kate Salmon as Fairy Dotty.
It runs from December 13 to January 1. For tickets, from £14, visit the website.
The Plaza, Stockport
There's another production of Cinderella, this time at The Plaza in Stockport, this Christmas.
Starring the much loved star of stage and screen Cheryl Fergison, known to millions of us as the long running character of Heather Trott in Eastenders, with Stockport’s very own Phil Mealey, known for his starring roles in Early Doors and The Royle Family, they will be joined by a full supporting cast in this 'glittering production'.
Billed as 'an affordable family treat to enjoy over the festive season', it runs from December 8 to January, with tickets costing from £17.05.
Call 0161 477 7779 or visit the website to book.
The Trafford Centre
There's a festive show happening inside the Big Top at The Trafford Centre's Tinseltown event this Christmas.
Gandeys Snowstorm 2 is an all-new festive production on real ice. Families are invited to watch what promises to be 'a spectacular show' inside the heated theatre big top as international ice-skaters, aerial artistes, and 'a fantastic circus line up transport you to the magical Ice Kingdom'.
State of the art special effects promise to 'have visitors on the edge of their seat', with special appearances from the much-loved ice bears and the main man himself – Santa Claus.
With 200sq metres of real ice for performers to soar above and glide upon, it’s billed as 'the perfect festive experience to celebrate the season with family and friends'.
Gandeys Snowstorm 2 runs from November 25 to January 2. Seats start, from £11.99, can be booked online.
Oldham Coliseum
Everyone’s favourite real-life hero, Robin Hood, is set to be the star of the show at Oldham Coliseum this Christmas.
With 'the perfect blend of slapstick, silliness, hit songs and panto magic', it promises to be 'the arrow shooting pantomime adventure of a lifetime'.
The Coliseum’s traditional pantomime has been delighting audiences for generations and is enjoyed by more than 35,000 people each year.
UK Pantomime Association Award nominee (Best Principal Boy, Aladdin 2021) Shorelle Hepkin returns, this time playing the titular role of Robin Hood.
Liz Carney, who played the evil Aunty Banazar in 2021’s Aladdin, Carabosse in 2016’s Sleeping Beauty and Fairy Nell in Dick Whittington in 2017, is back to her wicked ways as The Sheriff.
Fresh from the Coliseum’s September 2022 production of Road, William Travis returns with a very different role as Friar Tuck. Perhaps most widely known for his role in This is England (Channel 4), William has also previously appeared in the Coliseum’s productions of The Kitchen Sink and Hard Times, HOME’s production of Ghost, Fallen Angels at Salisbury Playhouse and Wonderland at Nottingham Playhouse.
Young people from Oldham will once again perform alongside the theatre’s professional actors, with three pairs of young actors playing the Babes in the Wood and the return of the pantomime’s chorus of young dancers.
Last year’s pantomime Aladdin won the UK Pantomime Association Award for Best Costume Design, with designer Celia Perkins also up for Best Set Design and Shorelle Hepkin nominated for Best Principal Boy.
Robin Hood runs from now until January 7. For tickets, from £13.50, visit the website.
Z-arts
Snow Mouse is 'an enchanting winter’s tale for the very young' and is on at Z-arts in Manchester this December.
Winter has arrived and the woods are covered in white. Come and join two new friends on their adventures in 'a magical forest' full of play, puppetry, and music.
Sliding, tumbling, and laughing, they explore the winter wonderland together and keep each other safe and warm from the winter freeze.
You can see the tale from December 16 to 24, and 28 to 31, at 10.30am, 11am and 2pm. Tickets cost £9, with groups of four for £30 (discount applied at checkout). Visit the website or call 0161 226 1912 to book.
Waterside Arts Centre, Sale
Acclaimed and much-loved family theatre company Stuff & Nonsense are bringing The Man Who Wanted to be a Penguin to Trafford’s leading arts venue this festive season.
Following their previous sell-out shows at Waterside, including The Gingerbread Man, The Elves and the Shoemaker and Goldilocks & The Three Bears, this 'unswervingly energetic and humorous company' return with their new show for, featuring' charming puppetry, quirky characters and an epic expedition to meet the penguins in the Antarctic'.
The Man Who Wanted to be a Penguin is the story of an extraordinary explorer, a curious conjurer and pioneering problem-solver. Families can see him pottering in his shed, planning his latest mission and can even learn to speak 'Penguin'.
A 'playful energy and a mix of puppetry, music and song', it's billed as a 'delightful celebration of wild creativity and the joy of individuality'.
The show runs from November 30 to December 31.
For tickets, from £12, visit the website.
Waterside is also playing host to The Totally Improvised Pantomime from ComedySportz on December 9 and 10.
Following a 'raunchy and innuendo fuelled production' for adults there will be 'a far more wholesome and toned down version for ages seven plus, with a short and sweet version for tots and their grown-ups.
Tickets £5.50 children, £7.50 adults. Visit the website for more details.
Middleton Arena
There's another production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at Middleton Arena this Christmas.
Matthew Siveter will star as Dame Dolly, Britain’s Got Talent finalist Lucy Kay as Snow White, Callum Arnott as Muddles, West End star Will Breckin as The Prince, and Molly Marsh as The Fairy.
CBBC’s Hacker T. Dog will appear as The Magic Mirror, although audiences should note this will be a pre-recorded video projection and he does not appear in person.
And in performances from Sunday, December 16 onwards, Strictly Come Dancing champion Katya Jones will star as The Wicked Queen.
The production runs from November 29 to December 28. Tickets, from £16.28, can be booked online.
Octagon, Bolton
Charles Dickens' festive classic A Christmas Carol comes to the Octagon this Christmas.
This brand-new musical stage adaptation from the writers of its 2019 festive production of Treasure Island promises 'toe-tapping live music, festive fun and a good splash of magic'.
Casting includes a company of six talented actors including Laurie Jamieson (One Man, Two Guvnors, Octagon Theatre Bolton, Prince Charming’s Xmas Cracker, Hull Truck) as the tight-fisted miser Ebenezer Scrooge.
They will be joined by a young company of three actors sharing the role of Tiny Tim, including Emma Kennedy-Rose, Florence Moluluo and Dominic Smith, making in his stage debut.
A 'heart-warming and uplifting tale of redemption', A Christmas Carol promises 'the perfect festive treat for audiences, young and old'.
It runs from now until January 14. Tickets, from £15, can be booked on the website, or by calling the box office on 01204 520661.
Hope Mill Theatre
The UK theatrical premier of the Broadway version of Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella is on at Hope Mill Theatre.
The team originally planned to produce and share the production back in 2020, but had to postpone it amid the pandemic.
This classic tale is retold with a modern twist and some light-hearted humour thrown in for good measure.
Expect impressive staging, clever special effects, high-energy dance routines and choreography and beautiful singing, along with fantastic costumes.
It's running from now until December 11. For tickets, from £25, visit the website.
Contact, Manchester
Contact is presenting something a little different this year - with Robin Hood The 80's Panto.
It’s a fresh twist on the traditional, combining The Adventures of Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood with an 'upbea't, sing-along, 80s panto playlist.
eight-freestyle‘s Robin Hood is a story of courage, friendship and bad puns. There will be 'plenty of laughs along the way' as Robin joins forces with Maid Marion to thwart the Sheriff of Nottingham’s evil plans to kidnap the young Babes.
The a show, which promises to have it all - 'adventure, action, laughs, music, magic and men with mullets' - runs from December 10 to 31. For tickets, from £8, visit the website here.
HOME, Manchester
Little Angel Theatre presents There’s a Rang-Tang in My Bedroom & Other Stories at HOME this Christmas.
Families are promised 'a magical mix of puppetry and music as we discover more about our animal friends and what we can do to help – because no one is too small to make a difference'.
The show - inspired by the Greenpeace campaign films There’s a Rang-Tan in My Bedroom and There’s a Monster in My Kitchen written by James Sellick, and featuring voiceovers by Emma Thompson, Doc Brown & Rag’n’Bone Man - runs from December 9 to 23.
Tickets, from £10.50, are available online.
Salford Arts Theatre
There's another production of Jack and The Beanstalk at Salford Arts Theatre over the festive season.
The 'traditional panto', by Harry Luty, runs from December 2 to 31.
Tickets, from £8, or £32 for a family, can be booked on the website.
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