HAPPENINGS:

Aladdin

An Arabian tale of true love, magic wishes and dastardly dealings, this year’s Gaiety Panto will excite and delight all ages with the extra helping of song, dance, slapstick and laughter that you would come to expect from the Gaiety’s festive extravaganza.

There’s a stellar cast of favourites including Joe Conlan as Widow Twankey, Nicholas Grennell as Abanazer, West End talent Julian Capolei as Aladdin and the gorgeous Suzie Seweify as Princess Jasmine. For details see www.gaietytheatre.ie

The Story of Panto in Dublin’

This exhibition from Dublin City Library and Archive traces the history of the pantomime tradition in our capital city, through the stories of its theatres and its entertainers.

It takes audiences down memory lane with material relating to the Theatre Royal and the Queen’s Theatre, as well as from the collections of Jimmy O’Dea, Vernon Hayden, Cecil Sheridan and Noel Purcell.

It runs until the end of January at Pearse Street Library.  Opening hours: Monday-Thursday 10am-8pm, Friday-Saturday 10am-5pm and admission is free.

Cinderella

This year’s Cheerios Panto is Cinderella and it’s moved to the ‘Pantodome’ at Royal Hospital, Kilmainham. Starring Alan Hughes, Rob Murphy, Jenny Dixon, Jake Carter and Paul Ryder the Cheerios Panto is a modern tradition for many Dublin families and it’s running until January 5. For more details visit www.panto.ie or call 01-9060111.

Cinderella: the Story of Cinders and Her Fella

The Olympia Theatre panto offers a take on Cinderella with a glittering celebrity line-up, traditional panto values and the funniest script.

There’s something for everyone in this magical show with stars of stage and screen and social media’s biggest and brightest.

Running until Saturday, January 4, there are matinee and evening shows most days. For full details see  www.olympia.ie

The Three Musketeers

TheatreworX is back with this year's Helix Panto The Three Musketeers. TheatreworX is renowned for its hilarious scripts with the perfect cast resulting in the best family Christmas outing.With audience favourites Aidan Mannion and Colin Hughes returning along with Chris Corroon's Lola amongst others, this year's production is set to tickle the funny bone yet again.

It’s running until January 19. 

Robin Hood

Oh noooo!!! The wicked Sheriff of Nottingham is set on raising the taxes of the town until the lovely Maid Marion agrees to become his wife. But this Maid Marion is not one to give up on a fight and with the help of Robin Hood and his gang sets out to overthrow the nasty Sheriff.

Join the Mill Productions gang at dlr Mill Theatre for lots of fun, audience participation, songs, dancing and a host of crazy, zany and colourful characters.

It runs until January 5. For details see http://www.milltheatre.ie/

A Christmas Carol

In Jack Thorne’s superb retelling of this timeless Christmas fable, Dickens’s dream-like story is transformed into a theatrical experience in which inclusivity and community are centre stage, and the barriers between stage and audience are re-imagined for the 21st Century in a re-configured Gate auditorium. It’s running at the Gate Theatre until January 18. For full details see www.gatetheatre.ie

Snow White

In a magical fairytale kingdom we meet Snow White, a lonely but beautiful princess who is being forced by Queen Cruella to be a maid in her massive castle.

The Evil Queen was once the fairest in all the land but Snow White is now the fairest and the Queen is outraged. 

Throw in a hilarious magic mirror, an outrageous dame, a handsome prince, a funny hero and seven dwarfs and you’ve got a great panto at the Civic Theatre in Tallaght.

For full details of remaining run, see www.civictheatre.ie