Get together and join in with a feast of festive music and family fun at Nottingham’s favourite entertainment venues this Christmas
Nothing beats a trip to the pantomime to get the whole family into the festive spirit, so if you haven’t booked already there are plenty of opportunities still to catch Dick Whittington (9 Dec – 14 Jan) throughout the holiday season. Starring TV favourites Shane Richie and Dr Ranj, this action-packed pantomime will be full of laugh-out-loud comedy, stunning scenery, beautiful costumes and plenty of boos and hisses. Or treat the kids to a hair-raising adventure through the history of Christmas, from Victorian villains to Tudor treats, with Horrible Histories’ Horrible Christmas (27 Dec).
If Christmas is a time when you look forward to settling down to watch all your favourite movies, why not see them in a whole new magical setting, with a live orchestra performing the score? This year, the Royal Concert Hall will play host to ‘live in concert’ screenings of seasonal favourites including Raymond Briggs’ classic animated story The Snowman (23 Dec), Disney’s The Muppet Christmas Carol (7 Dec), and traditional Christmas hit Love Actually – In Concert (3 Dec).
And it’s not just the movies that will be coming live to the Royal Concert Hall’s stage this Christmas. Chart-topping social media sensations LadBaby (10 Dec), aka Mark and Roxanne Hoyle, will be bringing a special Christmas themed live show of their smash-hit debut podcast ‘Live Laugh Love’, and Strictly legends and new parents, Janette Manrara & Aljaž Škorjanec, are back with another hugely entertaining festive song and dance extravaganza, Aljaž & Janette – Dancing in a Winter Wonderland (12 Dec).
For music fans, Christmas is always a great opportunity to see your playlist favourites live on stage. Multi-platinum selling vocal harmony group The Overtones (12 Nov) start the Royal Concert Hall’s Christmas hit parade with festive favourites and brand-new tracks, record-breaking global sensation Leona Lewis (28 Nov) brings an evening of Christmas classics and greatest hits, and Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Christmas Kitchen Disco (9 Dec) will feature hits from her career, as well as some very festive classics, all in Sophie’s own seasonal disco style.
And the music plays on, with the ultimate feel-good Irish-inspired Christmas show, Fairytale of New York (20 Nov), a festive feast of West End showstoppers with Christmas at the Musicals (14 Dec), and The Bootleg Beatles (16 Dec) returning this Christmas for another nostalgic whirlwind trip through the sixties.
You can make your Christmas even more harmonious with one of many festive-themed concerts, too, including a free Live at Lunch concert (4 Dec) with the NTU Chamber Choir and Brass Band, Nottingham Harmonic Choir’s well-loved Family Carol Concert (17 Dec) once again joined by Thoresby Colliery Band, festive folk singer and self-confessed ‘Holly Head’ Kate Rusby (18 Dec), and award-winning choir Tenebrae: A Christmas Conversation (19 Dec), featuring actor Clive Mantle, in an evening of words and music for the festive season.
Now an essential part of the advent calendar for any classical music fan, The Hallé Christmas Concert (20 Dec) returns once more with their festive spectacular of orchestral showpieces, as does Nottingham Harmonic Choir’s thrilling annual performance of Messiah (2 Dec). Or you can enjoy a more tranquil side of Christmas, with four calming pieces from Liszt’s Christmas Tree suite performed by Yu Kosuge in the Sunday Morning Piano Series (17 Dec). Bringing the classical year to a perfect conclusion will be Sinfonia Viva’s New Year Gala (31 Dec), with time still to enjoy with friends afterwards or get home to watch the fireworks.
And if you can’t decide just yet, you can treat yourself or someone special a gift voucher, or, if you come to the theatre regularly, a gift membership to enjoy priority booking, tickets discounts, special offers and other benefits throughout the year.
Find out more at Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall Nottingham (trch.co.uk)
Posted on 14 November 2023
