Vox Populi The Bells of Paradise. Performed at Holy Trinity Church, Leamington Spa, Saturday 20 December 2025.  Review by Charles Essex   Once again Vox Populi, Harvey Brough’s community choir, ensured a packed Holy Trinity Church in Leamington as they sang a wide selection of Christmas songs old and new.  All 19 songs were arranged by the multitalented Harvey and accompanied by a harp, piano and some of the brass section of the prestigious Orchestra of the Swan, including th

The cast of Robinson Crusoe. Photo by Robert Warner. Robinson Crusoe by Stephen Duckham at The Talisman Theatre and Arts Centre, from Saturday 20 December 2025 to Saturday 3 January 2026. Review by Ashley Hayward. As I set out to watch the Talisman’s annual panto I was intrigued as at how a novel written over 300 years ago about a castaway who spent many years on a remote tropical island could be adapted for Christmas family entertainment. However, I can now reveal that those

Goldilocks and the Four Bears community pantomime presented by The Henley in Arden Drama Society (HADS) at Henley Memorial Hall from 18 – 21 December 2025.  Directed by Laurence Marshall. Review by Ashley Hayward This was my first visit to the annual Henley in Arden pantomime and on arrival you could tell from the warm welcoming atmosphere that it was eagerly awaited by the local community. It was a complete sell out and HADS had even laid on an additional performance to meet

Matt Rousseau and Elysia Sully. Photo by FuzFilmz. Cinderella, performed by Tread the Boards at The Attic Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon. Running from 14 December 2025 until 4 January 2026. Written by John-Robert Partridge. Directed by Andy Woolley. Review by Charles Essex. A humorously painted backdrop of Cinderella’s kitchen is almost the only prop in this familiar pantomime. Being devoid of furniture, director Andy Woolley was able to use the Attic’s relatively small stage a

Jo Banbury, Robert Bateman, Rose Bird and ensemble. Photo by James Calver. Goldilocks and the Three Bears, performed at The Priory Theatre, Kenilworth, from Wednesday 17 December 2025 until 4 January 2026. Director: Mike Brooks. Review by Charles Essex. The Priory’s version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears was a novel take on a well known story.  The plot was that a circus owned by Dame Sadie (Paul Sully) was in financial difficulties and being threatened by Baroness Winkl

Jon Kerr and Abigail Drennan. Photo by FuzFilmz. Sleeping Beauty performed by Tread the Boards at The Cidermill Theatre, Chipping Camden, from 13 December to 31 December 2025. Written and directed by John-Robert Partridge. Review by Charles Essex   Tread the Boards theatre company once again showed the depth of their talent running two pantomimes concurrently over Christmas, both written and directed by John-Robert Partridge (JP).  Cinderella is being performed at their base

Noor and Jeed of Lime Meadows Catering tell of the benefits of Matcha. Photo by Rob Tysall Pro Photography. The recent Winter Good Food Show at the Birmingham NEC certainly drew in the crowds. Around 127,000 visitors packed the halls for the four-day shopping extravaganza, finding inspiration with new products, top brands and award-winning food and drinks. As always there was a great line up of well-known chefs giving talks and demonstrations in the live theatre and signing t

Playbox Theatre's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Photo courtesy of Playbox Theatre. Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, performed by the Playbox Theatre at The Dream Factory, Warwick. Directed by Juliet Vankay. Performances run until Sunday 28 December 2025. See Playbox Theatre's website for dates and times. Review by Gracie Tomlin. On 12 December 2025, my family and I were treated to a gift of a Christmas performance; Playbox Theatre’s opening night of ‘Charl

Alex Hargreaves as The Beast - Production Photograph from the Albany Theatre Beauty and the Beast, performed at the Albany Theatre, Coventry from 6 December 2025 to 4 January 2026 Review by David Court I’m usually a fan of fresh and distinctive takes on classic material, and Beauty and the Beast  is certainly a bold retelling of the Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve story. In Theresa Heskins’ stage adaptation, the Goblin Queen Ranjhildre is finally captured by the Warrio

Paul Nolan in A Christmas Carol - Photograph by Conor Nolan A Christmas Carol, performed by Paul Nolan at the Charterhouse, 10 December 2025 Review by David Court Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’ remains as beloved a festive staple today as it was upon its triumphant debut in 1843. The tale is woven into our cultural DNA, having been brought to life by some of the greatest names in stage and screen (from Patrick Stewart and Simon Callow to Michael Caine—supported, of cour

John Leader and puppeteers. Photo by Marc Brenner. Roald Dahl’s The BFG at the RSC until 7 February 2026.  Adapted by Tom Wells with additional material by Jenny Worton. Directed by Daniel Evans. Review by Hilary Hopker At some point as a child or a parent, you will have read Roald Dahl’s magical tale of a Big Friendly Giant, who spends his time catching dreams. Looking at last night’s audience the very many adults and children were driven to come see the performance by the l

JP McCue, Charlie Smart andSean Dodds. Photo courtesy of Royal Leamington Spa. Peter Pan presented by Imagine Theatre at The Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa, from Friday 5 December to Sunday 4 January 2026. Review by Ann Cee. Leamington’s Peter Pan Panto is a whole lot of fun from beginning to end so limber up your tonsils and throw yourself into the party.  Two hours of festive family time will kick off your Christmas season with all the right kind of silliness, songs and s

Fiona Hampton, Andy Rush and Company. Photo by Cam Harle. The Forsyte Saga, Part 1 and Part 2. Royal Shakespeare Company, The Swan Theatre, Stratford Upon Avon. Running until 10 January 2026. Directed by Josh Roche. Review by Ann Cee   Does passion rule our lives?  Is love ever lasting?  Is it weakness or strength to remain in a loveless marriage?  Is it wrong to yearn for your one true love even after they've married someone else?  Shaun McKenna and Lin Coghlan explore these

Joseph Frerichs. Photo by Chris Clarke. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. At The Bear Pit Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, from 5 to 14 December 2025. Directed by Emily Myerscough. Review by Charles Essex  Adrian Mitchell’s dramatisation of CS Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe , the allegory of the Gospel story, gave The Bear Pit’s cast and crew a challenge which they met in spades.  The four main roles of Peter (Harry Sinclair). Susan (Georgia Hood), Edmund (Hal

Father and daughter get dressed up for the show. Photo by Rob Tysall Pro Photographer. If you went along to the MCM Comic Con show at the Birmingham NEC last weekend (28 – 30 November) I think you will agree that it was an outstanding event. This year was the biggest MCM Birmingham ever, with the show’s footprint at the NEC almost doubling and 55,000 attendees coming through the doors over the three days! Saw this fella! Photo by Rob Tysall Pro Photographer. The show was a r

Dancing at Lughnasa. Photo by Richard Smith Photography. Dancing at Lughnasa by Brian Friel at The Loft Theatre, from Wednesday 3 December to Saturday 13 December 2025. Review by Ashley Hayward   Set in rural Ireland in the 1930’s this powerful and moving play by Brian Friel is semi- autobiographical as the story teller, ‘Michael’, recalls events when he was 7 years old and living with his unmarried mother and her four sisters during a time of immense political, social and e

The cast of Mindgame. Photo by Martin Pulley. Mindgame by Anthony Horowitz at Rugby Theatre from 22-29 November. Directed by Ash Hirons. Review by Charles Essex Taking someone’s life – murder – is the ultimate crime.  Is the perpetrator an apparently good person, or at least a normal person, whatever normal is, who does an evil thing, or someone who has no control of their actions and hence is not responsible and suffering from a severe mental illness?  The inmates of Fairfie

Iain Lauchlan as Nanny Fanny McWheeze and Craig Hollingsworth as Muddles the Jester. Photo by Nicola Young Photography. Sleeping Beauty, written and directed by Iain Lauchlan at the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, from 19 November to 3 January 2026. Review by Margaret Mather   Wow! What a panto this is. Sparkle, humour, wonderful characters and... a fire-breathing dragon, it’s got the lot in abundance. This pantomime is the must-see show of the season. It’s full of energy, colour

The Cast. Photo by Pete Le May Photography. Sherlock Holmes and the 12 Days of Christmas written by and starring Humphrey Ker and David Reed. Directed by Phillip Breen with Becky Hope-Palmer. With original songs by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber. At The Birmingham Rep from 14 November to 18 January 2026. Review by Ann Evans   Sherlock Holmes and the 12 Days of Christmas is a show that has all the ingredients to entertain audiences for many Christmases to come. It’s fast, it

The cast of Sunset Boulevard. Photo courtesy of the Abbey Theatre. Sunset Boulevard. Performed by the Masqueraders Theatrical Society at the Abbey Theatre, Nuneaton, from 19 – 22 November. Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton. Based on the Billy Wilder Film. Review by Margaret Mather If it’s drama, tragedy and wonderful music you want, this show has it in abundance. This musical portrays an era where silent black and white films f

Dave Candy and Penny Roberts in The Man on the Floor. Photo by Tim Greenway. London Suite by Neil Simon performed by Kineton Amateur Dramatic Society (KADS), Warwickshire, from 19 November until 22 November. Review by Charles Essex.   Neil Simon had great success with his plays California Suite and Plaza Suite, where a trilogy of short scenes take place in the same room of a hotel.  He repeats the same formula, this time with a quartet of vignettes, moving the action to Brita