It's behind you! Yes it's time to get into the festive spirit and look forward to the pantomime and festive stage shows happening in Wales in 2022 as Christmas is nearly upon us.
There are plenty of great shows to enjoy - from the classic pantomimes to original stories performed with a twist. There are even adult-only shows and dance performances. You can keep up to date with the latest What's On news by signing up to the newsletter here.
You can enjoy big productions or local adaptations which are sure to get you in the Christmas spirit. Here is our guide to some of the great shows being performed in Wales in the coming weeks.
READ MORE: Love Island winner set to headline panto in Wales this Christmas
The Nutcracker Brecon Festival Ballet, Brecon
Brecon Festival Ballet will be performing The Nutcracker at the newly-refurbished Theatr Brycheiniog in Brecon. Welsh and British dancers will be performing alongside the Welsh Chamber Orchestra.
The performance will be running from Friday, December 16 to Sunday, December 18 and tickets start at £21.50. You can book your tickets here.
Cardiff Castle Christmas Festival
In recent years the castle has hosted the ice skating rink but this year there'll be more festive fun at Cardiff Castle. The grounds will play host to a specially-made Spiegeltent which will show a Christmas ballet, family musical, comedy cabaret, and burlesque.
Cardiff Castle Christmas Festival will present three shows from Friday, November 25 to Sunday, January 8. You can read more about the Cardiff Castle Christmas Festival here. Tickets start at £19.68 and you can book them here.
Scrooge returns! and magical music weekend at Tredegar House, Newport
Plenty is going on at Tredegar House near Newport. On the weekend of Saturday, December 17 and Sunday, December 18 there will be choirs, pianists and even a few singalongs with musicians from across the community. Mr Scrooge will also be returning to Tredegar House, as he wanders through the house that weekend. You can book your tickets here.
Christmas experience at Forage Farm, Cowbridge
Forage Farm will be running its Christmas experience on selected dates in December. There will be a Christmas show with a cheeky Christmas elf and the chance to meet Father Christmas.
Tickets cost £10.50 for adults, £12.50 for children, and £2 for children aged under three. You can book your tickets here.
Jack and the Beanstalk at Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl
The Grand Pavilion in Porthcawl is showing Jack and the Beanstalk for 2022. The show will run from Saturday, December 17 to Sunday, January 8 2023. You can book your tickets here.
Elf at Cardiff International Arena
Another show to enjoy this Christmas is Elf at Cardiff International Arena. Elf, the hit Hollywood blockbuster movie, has been supersized into a live arena spectacular for Christmas. There will be a massive stage featuring film backdrops on a huge LED screen plus a mobile stage that travels the auditorium.
The show is running on Tuesday, December 27, and Wednesday, December 28. Tickets start at £25 and you can book your tickets here.
The Lion, The B**ch and The Wardrobe at the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff
The Wales Millennium Centre has a few productions on this December but its Christmassy show is The Lion, The B**tch and The Wardrobe which will be running from Thursday, December 8 to Saturday, December 31. One for the grown ups, you can enjoy this X-rated take on a Christmas classic.
Tickets start at £15 and you can book your tickets here.
Les Miserables at the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff
Musical theatre fans will be chuffed with the iconic Cameron Mackintosh production of Les Mis, back at the WMC once more and over the festive season. With scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo, the magnificent score of Les Misérables includes the songs I Dreamed a Dream, On My Own, Bring Him Home, One Day More, Master Of The House and many more.
You can see Les Mis at the Centre from December 13 to January 14 next year. Tickets are here.
BBC NOW Christmas Celebrations at Brangwyn Hall, Swansea
Swing into Christmas with conductor Andrew Cottee and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales as they return with the ever-popular Christmas Celebrations Concerts in Swansea. They will be performing at Brangwyn Hall on Wednesday, December 14 and you can book your tickets here.
Carols in the Chapel at St Fagans National Museum of History, Cardiff
Carols are a staple of Christmas and you can enjoy Christmas carols at Pen-rhiw Chapel at St Fagans National Museum of History. There will be traditional tunes and some more contemporary Christmas classics.
The carols are running on Saturday, December 17 and Sunday, December 18 and tickets cost £6. You can book here.
Ballet at St David's Hall, Cardiff
Christmas is the perfect time to enjoy some ballet and there is plenty to enjoy at St David's Hall for Christmas 2022. Three separate ballet performances will be performed at the hall by Varna International Ballet and Orchestra, including Swan Lake and The Nutcracker. You can read more about the shows here.
Tickets start at £10.25 for those under 16s and £20.50 for adults. You can book your tickets here.
Christmas at the Musicals and Peter Pan On Ice at the International Convention Centre Wales, Newport
You can enjoy two shows at the International Convention Centre Wales this year. They are putting on Christmas at the Musicals and Peter Pan On Ice throughout the festive period. You can read more here.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at New Theatre, Cardiff
The pantomime for Cardiff's New Theatre is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Ian ‘H’ Watkins from the international pop group Steps will lead the cast in this year’s magical family pantomime as The Man In The Mirror, and he will be joined by New Theatre pantomime favourites, rugby legend Gareth Thomas and panto Dame extraordinaire Mike Doyle.
The show is running from Saturday, December 10 until Sunday, January 8 2023. You book your tickets here.
Dolman Theatre, Newport
The Dolman Theatre in Newport is showing The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, SHREK! and 10 Years....and Tinsel this Christmas. You can find out more information here.
Choirs, pantomimes and more at St David's Hall, Cardiff
There is so much going on at St David's Hall this Christmas. As well as the ballet there will be the Cardiff County and Vale of Glamorgan Music Service Christmas Showcase, Christmas with the Treorchy Male Voice Choir & Callum Scott Howells and Snow White and the Beanstalk among many more. You can find out more information here.
Robin Hood at Theatr Clwyd, Mold
Theatr Clwyd in Mold is putting on a pantomime of Robin Hood. There will be rock, soul and pop songs, fabulous frocks, dazzling sets, and the anarchic panto puppets.
The show is running from Saturday, November 19 to Saturday, January 14 2023. Tickets start at £15 and you can buy them here.
Goldilocks and Tales of The Brothers Grimm at Sherman Theatre, Cardiff
Sherman Theatre in Cardiff is holding two Christmas shows. Goldilocks will be shown on Friday, November 4 and Saturday, November 5. Goldilocks will then be shown again from Monday, November 28 to Saturday, December 31.
A Welsh version of the show, Elen Benfelen, will also be shown on the same dates. Tales of The Brothers Grimm will be shown from Saturday, November 26 to Saturday, December 31. You can find out more here.
Sleeping Beauty at Theatr Torch, Milford Haven
In Pembrokeshire at Theatr Torch you can enjoy Sleeping Beauty over the Christmas period. The show is running from Friday, December 16 to Saturday, December 31 and there are relaxed environment performances and BSL-interpreted performances. You can book your tickets here.
Swansea Grand Theatre
There are a lot of Christmas shows to enjoy at the Swansea Grand Theatre this Christmas. They are showing Nativity! The Musical, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Fairytale of New York, Beauty and the Beast starring Joseph McFadden, and A Child's Christmas In Wales. You can find out more here.
Miracle on 34th Street and Dragma's Christmas Natterbox at The Riverfront, Newport
The Riverfront Theatre and Arts Centre is hosting two Christmas shows this year. Miracle on 34th Street is being shown on Sunday, December 6 and Dragma's Christmas Natterbox, which is for over 15s only, is being shown on Thursday, December 12. You can find out more here.
Jack and The Beanstalk and The Mayors Christmas Charity Show 2022 at The Princess Royal Theatre, Port Talbot
Adults and children can enjoy this Christmas at the Princess Royal Theatre in Port Talbot, as there are two shows of Jack and The Beanstalk. One called Jack and the Beanstalk is the family pantomime and the other, Jack Off My Beanstalk is for adults only.
There is also the Mayors Christmas Charity Show 2022 to enjoy and you can find out more about the shows here.
The Christmas Express at Aberystwyth Arts Centre
Aberystwyth Arts Centre is hosting a Christmas dance performance this year. The dance performance The Christmas Express is running on Friday, December 2 and Saturday, December 3. Tickets start at £10 and you can book your tickets here.
Jack and the Beanstalk at Coliseum and Park and Dare in Rhondda
Jack and the Beanstalk is being performed in two Rhondda venues, the Coliseum and Park and Dare. The show will be running at the Coliseum from Friday, December 2 to Sunday, December 11 and at the Park and Dare, which is the home of the theatre company Selsig who you can read more about here, from Friday, December 16 to Saturday, December 24. You can book your tickets here.
Jack and the Beanstalk at Blackwood Miners' Institute
Jack and the Beanstalk will also be performed at the Blackwood Miners' Institute. The show will run from Friday, December 9 to Friday, December 30 and tickets start at £10. You can book your tickets here.
Christmas Cabaret at Penarth Pier Pavilion
Penarth Pier Pavilion is hosting Christmas Cabaret on Saturday, December 3. Tickets start at £25.95 and you can book your tickets here.
Cinderella and Charity Christmas Concert at Pontardawe Arts Centre
There is something for adults and children at the Pontardawe Arts Centre, as they are putting on a child and adult version of Cinderella. The children's version will run from Saturday, December 10 to Monday, December 19 and the adult version, called Sinderella will run from Friday, December 9 to Tuesday, December 20.
There is also the charity Christmas concert on Friday, December 2. You can find out more here.
Ffwrnes Theatre, Llanelli
Lots is going on at Ffwrnes Theatre in Llanelli this Christmas. From festive murder mysteries to dance performances to Aladdin, there is plenty to enjoy. You can find out more here.
Robin Hood at Congress Theatre, Cwmbran
Rainbow Valley Production's 2022 pantomime Robin Hood is coming to the Congress Theatre from Friday, December 16 to Friday, December 30. You can book tickets here.
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