Christmas round-up...

Now that we’re almost into December, I guess it’s time for us to do a round up of the Christmas shows that will be appearing at theatres near you shortly...

Firstly, congratulations to the Citizens Community Company on selling out all performances of this year’s “Wicked Christmas” subtitled “Cinder’s Revenge”. It’s a real testimony to the standard these guys have achieved over the last few years that tickets are in such demand - but next year we’d really rather they waited until we have booked up before selling out! In the main theatre at the Citz is “Cinderella” but as it sounds a little too close to a full-on panto I think we’ll be giving it a miss. Same goes for the Kings and the Pavilion which stage “Aladdin” and “Pinocchio” respectively. The Arches have a show aimed at younger audiences with “Little Red Riding Hood” and we’re hoping to acquire a three-year-old (and his parents) to take along to that. We’ll also be seeing “Ya Beauty & The Beast” at the Tron as part of their Patrons Scheme while out in Glasgow’s west end Oran Mor have staged a real coup and have managed to get panto legend Andy Gray on board for “Another Christmas Carol.”

Another version of “A Christmas Carol” is being staged by Nonsense Room out at Rosslyn Chapel just south of Edinburgh. It’s been a real part of our Christmas build up in recent years, and as always we recommend paying the extra and attending their ‘Special Performance’ on Friday 11th December which includes a light buffet and post-show tour of the Chapel. But do wrap up warm – hats scarves, gloves and blankets are a must for this – and we’re really not kidding!

In the centre of Edinburgh we’ve made a habit the last couple of years to attend the Lyceum’s Christmas show and it hasn’t disappointed. However, this year it’s "Peter Pan" of which I’m not a huge fan, and with the National Theatre of Scotland planning a production of the show in spring/summer 2010 I’m not sure I can bring myself to see two in such close proximity. Alternative options include the promise of swashbuckling adventure with “Zorro” at the Traverse and an impressively cast “Corstorphine Road Nativity” at the Festival Theatre. And the Kings in Edinburgh provides “Robinson Crusoe and the Caribbean Pirates”.

Of course we won't be seeing all of those! We will be seeing "Another Christmas Carol", "A Christmas Carol" at Rosslyn Chapel, "Little Red Riding Hood", "The Corstorphine Road Nativity" and "Ya Beauty & The Beast". But do post your comments here and let us know how you get on with any of the other shows...