insideKENT Magazine Issue 44 - November 2015 | Page 105

CHRISTMAS

CHRISTMAS IN THE CAPITAL
London… the city of lights and life; the capital of our country, full of vibrant and exciting things
to see and do. And at Christmastime the theatres, parks and music venues are bursting with
talent and fun, ready to get us in the mood for the season. There’s nowhere quite like London at
Christmas, and if you want to enjoy some real festive spirit, this is the place to go.

A Christmas Carol // 30 Nov – 30 Jan // Noel Coward Theatre

Academy Award-winning actor Jim Broadbent makes his long-awaited return to the stage to play
Scrooge in a new version of A Christmas Carol, adapted by Patrick Barlow from Charles Dickens'
classic story of greed, grief, ghoulish ghosts and eleventh-hour redemption. From Scrooge and
Tiny Tim, to Bob Cratchit and Mrs Fezziwig, Patrick Barlow's imaginative adaptation of A Christmas
Carol will bring some of Dickens' most memorable characters to life at the Noël Coward Theatre this
winter. Jim Broadbent will be joined by an exciting group of performers, to be announced shortly.
www.delfontmackintosh.co.uk/Tickets/AChristmasCarol/AChristmasCarol.asp

Elf The Musical // 26 Oct – 2 Jan // Dominion Theatre

Based on the beloved 2003 New Line Cinema hit starring Will Ferrell, ELF the Musical is the
hilarious tale of Buddy, a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and
is transported back to the North Pole. Unaware that he is actually human, Buddy’s enormous size
and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks
on a journey to New York City to find his birth father, discover his true identity, and help New York
remember the true meaning of Christmas.
www.dominiontheatre.com/theatre/elf

Carnaby Street Christmas Lights // 12 Nov

For inventive and really rather special Christmas lights, look no further than Carnaby Street in Soho.
The switch-on is a huge event featuring live music and activities, and many of the shops and bars in
the area will be offering a 20 percent discount on the night. This year’s theme is ‘party’ and instead
of baubles there will be giant disco balls. It’s a ticketed event, and the tickets do go fast (but they
are free), so snap them up while you can.
www.carnaby.co.uk

Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland // 20 Nov – 3 Jan

For the full Christmas experience, why not visit Hyde Park’s astonishing Winter Wonderland? You
won’t be able to feel anything but festive once you are through the Father Christmas gate and into the
magically illuminated Christmas market area. But there is more to Winter Wonderland than shopping
(although that is fun); there is the ice skating rink, the Christmas circus, the Magical Ice Kingdom, the
fairground including the giant wheel, an ice bar, and as much mulled wine and gingerbread as you
could ever need. Entry to the Winter Wonderland is free, although many of the attractions are at an
additional cost so it’s wise to book in advance online—you wouldn’t want to miss anything!
www.hydeparkwinterwonderland.com

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