MONDAY 17 DECEMBER 2018 THISWEEKLONDON.COM

Welcome to the final TW Weekly of the year featuring our customary Three To See recommendations for the festive fortnight in London.

When we were putting together this year's Christmas tips, it occurred to us that there are loads of shows that we tipped in late November and early December that are running throughout December, some into January, which definitely fall into the category of "Christmas show".

We weren't able to add them to the tips, of course, because they had already been tipped, and so we decided do a quick round up here so that you don't forget to consider them when looking at what do and see during your festive season:

If you're looking for a show for children or families (and be prepared, there are loads) there's Hansel & Gretel at The Place, Can't Wait For Christmas at the Orange Tree Theatre (pictured), Philip Pullman's Grimm Tales at the Unicorn Theatre, The Box Of Delights at Wilton's, Peter Pan at The Park Theatre, Huddle at the Unicorn Theatre, Knitmas – A Winter Yarn at Greenwich Theatre, The Gingerbread Man at Jacksons Lane, and Return To Elm House at Battersea Arts Centre. 

If, on the other hand, you are not the owner of a child, you might be interested in The Boy Under The Christmas Tree at King's Head Theatre, Cinderella: A Fairytale at Jack Studio Theatre (probably okay for secondary age children, from what I can gather, but not really a kids show), Bad Cinderella at The Cockpit (very, very much not for children), The Night Before Christmas at Southwark Playhouse, and How To Catch A Krampus at Pleasance Theatre.

Finally, if you fancy a pantomime (and who doesn't at this time of the year?) there's Rapunzel at Hoxton Hall, Cinderella and The Beanstalk at Theatre503, Buttons – A Cinderella Story at King's Head Theatre and Robinson Crusoe at Greenwich Theatre. This isn't an exhaustive list of pantos in London, of course, so please feel free to search for more...

And with those shows re-tipped, we now present our Three To See recommendations for Christmas and New Year in London.

Merry Christmas! See you in 2019.



THREE FAMILY SHOWS>>

Scrooge | Camden Peoples Theatre | 20-21 De
Regular readers might know in what high esteem we here at TW Towers hold 'A Christmas Carol' (and indeed, Charles Dickens), and frankly, there haven't been enough adaptations of the classic tale in London this festive season. Great that we have a visual theatre version from Deaf-led company D-live! Theatre here, performed in British Sign Language and with Spoken English and captioning, aimed at younger audiences. See this page here for more.

In The Winter Wood |Polka Theatre | 29 Nov-17 Feb (pictured) 
This one's been on for a while, and it also goes on into February, but I was consciously saving this one for our Christmas time tips not least because there are shows running right up to Christmas, beginning again on 27 Dec, which is a great day to get the kids out and about. This is aimed at children aged 3-6, and offers an interactive story inspired by winter stories from around the world. See the venue website here for more.

Snow White | Ovalhouse| 12-30 Dec 
Entirely possible you already know all about this one because we did an interview about it not so long ago, and I expect you read that. Oh, a couple of you didn't? Here's a link to it, then. "In a fifties fairytale wonderland Snow is hard at work in herAunt Trish's Beauty Salon - curling the 3 Little Pigs' tails, sharpening Big Bad's teeth and setting Prince Charming's quiff. When she accidentally glances into the secret Magic Mirror, Aunt Trish sets out to destroy her niece forever. The only way Snow can survive is to head underground". Hurrah, for ages six plus. Details here.


THREE GROWN UP SHOWS>>

Garry Starr Conquers Troy | Camden People's Theatre | 20-22 Dec (pictured)
Okay, so now the kids are sorted, it's time for some serious faced, studious sort of stuff for all you mature grown ups out there. Well, that might come later in this section, but actually, we're starting with something we quite frankly expect to be hilarious. We absolutely loved a different 'Garry Starr' show from Damien Warren-Smith when we saw it at the Edinburgh Fringe earlier in the year, so are very much looking forward to this. Info right about here.

Woyzeck | Pleasance Theatre | 22-23 Dec 
I hinted at something a bit more serious, so here you go, something definitely a bit more serious, but also very much worth spending some of your pre Christmas hours on. This is a highly acclaimed physical theatre version of Georg Büchner's much adapted nineteenth century play about a struggling young soldier. It's had hugely successful times up in Edinburgh, this one, and with good reason. See this page here for more.

Time Is Love/Tiempo EsAmore | Finborough Theatre | 1-26 Jan 
"2019. In the last remaining barrios of East LA... Blaz returns from prison, but something ain't right. His lifelong love Havana Cortez is keeping a secret. His old partner Karl seems to know what it is. Havana's best friend Rosa hates him even more than usual, but this was not always the case. And the detective who locked him up can't stop with the women. Serena The Sex Worker is our ethereal guide to this menacing world - but why are there pterodactyls overhead?" A European premiere for this play from award winning playwright and Director Chè Walker, and it sounds like it might be a great way to start the year. Head this way for details.


THREE FABULOUS COMEDY WOMEN>>

Sindhu Vee - Sandhog | Bush Theatre | 19 Dec (pictured)
I never really want to divide comedy up into male vs female, but I had a long list of different potentially excellent December comedy shows to choose from, and I was struggling to narrow it down, so thought "I know, I will have two comedy sections, one male and one female and get in three extra tips". So here's the first, the very wonderful Sindhu Vee with her Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer nominated debut. Hurrah, more here

Lucy Pearman's Christmas Friends | Battersea Arts Centre | 21 Dec
Another best newcomer nominee now, Lucy Pearman, a great favourite around here, who'll be hanging out over at Battersea Arts Centre with a bunch of other great comedians. Fortunately only one of the named guests is male so it doesn't detract too much from the women theme. And let's be honest, we've already established that the sex division tactic is purely to enable me to tip more shows. Anyway, this will be fun, so book here

Lazy Susan - Forgive Me Mother | Soho Theatre | 18 Dec-5 Jan
I suppose this one is also a detraction from the theme, given that the section refers to "three fabulous comedy women", and in fact choosing a double act here has made it four comedy women. But never mind, I'll just get on with telling you that you really need to hurry up and book your tickets because they really look like they are flying away. Quite a few nights are sold out, and all the rest say "last few". It's a testament to their greatness of course, but get over there now.


THREE FABULOUS COMEDY MEN>>

Andy Zaltzman - 2018 The Certifiable History | 18 Dec-5 Jan (pictured)
When our reviewer saw Andy Zaltzman's show 'Right Questions, Wrong Answers' at the ye old edfringe in the summer, he was beyond impressed, even for a long-time fan. And we, having wanted to give Andy Zaltzman one of our Editors' Awards' for years but having struggled to find the right moment, decided that this year should be that year. Anyway, that's just FYI, I doubt you all need much encouragement to head over to Soho Theatre for the master comedian's take on 2018. See this page here for more. 

Marcel Lucont's Whine List | Bush Theatre | 20 Dec
Another TW favourite now, and one who received one of our Editors' Awards quite a long time ago, who is set to grace Bush Theatre with this acclaimed and well-travelled show. "Marcel serves up a unique Whine List from the audience's past woes and misdemeanours. A kind of group therapy experience, but where everybody will probably leave more depressed". Though I pretty much guarantee you won't leave depressed. Information all the way over here

Ciaran Dowd - Don Rodolfo | Soho Theatre | 18 Dec-12 Jan
The award winners are coming thick and fast in this section: Beasts alumnus Ciaran Dowd won the Newcomer gong at the most recent Edinburgh Festival,and now he's on at Soho Theatre all over Christmas with the show that won him that there prize. "Don Rodolfo is a total butthead, a shameless libertine and the greatest swordsman the world has ever seen. The grotesque love child of Don Juan and Don Quixote takes you on a journey through his conquests, his adventures and every stupid thought in his idiot head". Hurrah. Book your tickets here.
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