HAPPENINGS:

Alice in Wonderland

What would you do if you found a talking white rabbit in your garden? You would be curious of course. So if it was with Alice when she followed the white rabbit into the rabbit hole, followed by her mother Dame Stuffy. On their journey they meet the Mad Hatter, Queen of Hearts, the Cheshire Cat, Dee and Dum and have a mad hatters tea party. Join them for the annual Christmas of music, song and laughter.

This magical panto is happening at Axis Ballymun from Thursday, January 3 to Sunday January 27 at 2.30pm (Sat & Sun) and 7.30pm (Thurs & Fri). Tickets cost €10 or €7 on Thursdays.

Robin Hood

With all the wit, magic and fun that audiences have come to expect from the Helix’s hilarious panto, Robin Hood is a must-see panto for the new year. Starring some audience favourites and introducing stunning new talent, The Helix Panto usually delivers a great family night out. It runs until Sunday January 20. Family tickets cost around €30.

The Wizard of Oz

Join Dorothy and her dog Toto as they are transported from their home in Kansas to the Land of Oz where they meet some very strange characters – a Strawman, a Tinman and a cowardly Lion. Lovely Witch of the North greets them and advises that they should follow the Yellow Brick Road to find the Wizard who will solve all their problems. Hot in pursuit is Dorothy’s Auntie Gertie and a variety of colourful characters who will delight and entertain you. But Wicked Witch of the West has other plans and will do her best to stop them. It’s running at Draíocht in Dublin 15 from January 4 and tickets cost around €22.

Deirdre O’Kane

Deirdre O’Kane has really hit her stride. Footloose following a glittering turn on Dancing with the Stars and revelling in her return to stand-up, don’t miss Deirdre at her hilarious best in a straight-talking look at 12 frantic months in the life of this tango-tripping, family-minding, telly-making, house-moving, comedy dynamo. ‘A Line of O’Kane’ is at the Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire on Thursday, January 3 at 8pm.

Sally Denver Matthews

Sally Denver Matthews, a humorous one-woman show, written and performed by Gilly O’Shea on the anxieties of being a first time mum, is taking place in Smock Alley Theatre from January 2-5. The show is part of First Fortnight 2019, the mental health arts festival. It is hoped Sally’s story will prompt conversations about post-natal stress, anxiety and depression. Tickets: Standard €15, Concession €12. Book at FirstFortnight.ie.

Jack & The Beanstalk

The Civic Theatre in Tallaght are extending their run of ‘Jack & The Beanstalk’ until January 6. Due to huge to demand they have added extra dates including Wednesday 2, Thursday 3, Friday 4, Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 with shows at 2.30pm and 6:30pm. This hilarious panto features an all-star cast including Sorcha Furlong (Orla, Fair City) as the Evil Baroness; Enya Martin (Giz a Laugh, YouTube sensation) as the InstaFairy; Morgan Crowley (West End Star) as Dame Dottie; Ciara Murphy as Jill, Cormac O’Broin as Jack and introducing Dean Mulraney as the Giant.

First Fortnight films 

In partnership with the First Fortnight European Mental Health Arts and Culture Festival 2019, the Irish Film Institute (IFI) is presenting its biggest collaboration with the organisation yet, with four screenings throughout the month of January. This year’s selection will include the Irish premiere of Felix van Groeningen’s acclaimed ‘Beautiful Boy’ starring Steve Carell and Timothée Chalamet. IFI National will also bring screenings of the Dardennes brothers’ Oscar-nominated drama ‘Two Days, One Night’ to venues across the country from January 8; Marie de Hert’s ‘Labyrinthine’, Gabrielle Brady’s ‘Island of Hungry Ghosts’, plus a selection of family friendly shorts around the theme of positive mental health. For more information visit www.ifi.ie or www.firstfortnight.ie

Parkrun

Fancy a brisk start to 2019? All walkers and runners are welcome to take part in parkruns every Saturday at 9.30am at a number of local venues including Tolka Valley, Poppintree Park, St Anne’s Park, Malahide, Fairview Park, Darndale Park, Father Collins Park, Newbridge Demesne, Ardgillan Demesne, Hartstown and Tyrrelstown Parkrun is a timed 5k walk/run which is a completely free to participate community-based, volunteer-led initiative, and a great way to meet people and keep fit. Junior Parkruns for four to 14-year-olds take place on Sundays at a number of venues over a 2km distance. For further details and to register, visit www.parkrun.ie.