You might have missed Emilia Clarke & Emma Thompson at the Covent Garden Christmas light switch on as well as the cast of The Snowman, or the cast of Lyric Hammersmith’s Cinderella turning on the tree in Lyric Square. But fear not!
There are still plenty of Christmas light switch-ons to catch around Central London, including some of your favourite musical theatre stars. And after you’ve frozen your little fingers off outside, where better to thaw out than inside one of London’s beautiful theatres – you can catch some of the shows themselves a stone’s throw away!
Regent Street – 14 November
Regent Street’s famous Spirits of Christmas light up the street beautifully every year. This year marks the 200th anniversary of the naming of Regent Street, so this years festivities promise an even bigger and better celebration. Performers include The Script and Maisie Peters, all hosted by Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden.
But of course, we’re most excited about the appearance of the cast of the immensely Christmassy White Christmas, who will be performing some songs. Of course if you wanted to carry on that musical feeling, Her Majesty’s Theatre is just around the corner and the Phantom’s always waiting…
Regent Street Christmas lights – the Spirit of Christmas.
Seven Dials – 14 November
Seven dials is a multi-way crossroad positively teeming with theatres. The celebration for the Christmas lights switch-on promises wreath making, star-themed activities and festive live music, as well as discounts and Christmassy activities in loads of the shops around.
The Donmar Warehouse are offering a 20% discount on tickets to their upcoming production Teenage Dick if you pop in, as well as a curious-sounding cocktail called the Raindeer’s Nose!
Of course while you’re in the area it would be quite frankly criminal not to pop in on The Mousetrap at St Martin’s Theatre and you can always learn a thing or two from School Of Rock down the road at the Gillian Lynne Theatre.
Oxford Street Christmas lights. Photo by Ian Rob.
Oxford Street – 21 November
This year, Oxford Street are upgrading their traditional bauble lights to brand new LED curtains that can play glistening animations. The 1,778 spheres of lights will be replaced for the first time in 6 years, by 27 ‘light curtains’ draped all down the street. This will coincide with the 60th anniversary of the official Christmas light switch-on.
For the second year running, Oxford Street have changed up the celebrity appearances in favour of a street-wide event. This year they’ve teamed up with Capital Xtra and have announced in-store gigs from Joy Crookes, Ms Banks and more. But if you are yearning for a more old fashioned kind of festivity, the Dominion Theatre is just a hop, skip and a jump away and by then White Christmas will have started… That’s all we’re saying.
Trafalgar square at Christmas. Photo by Christine Matthews.
Trafalgar Square – 5 December
The Trafalgar Square Christmas tree has been donated by Norway every year since the end of World War Two to thank us for their protection. The trees are usually 50-60 years old and 20 metres high. While people often claim the lights make it look a bit like a cucumber, decorating trees with vertical nights is actually the Norwegian tradition!
And if you’re a fan of switching up traditions, we think you’ll love Trafalgar Studios’ Christmas Panto this year. This very special all-drag production of Cinderella features UK Drag Race star, the one, the only Baga Chipz as the Wicked Stepmother alongside Britain’s Got Talent icon Sheila Simmonds as the Fairy Godmother. Or if you’re thoroughly sick of Christmas by this point, you could always nip down to the Garrick and catch the timeless classic farce Noises Off. You’ll be laughing so hard you won’t even hear the carollers.