- Spectacular circus reimagining of Swan Lake from Brighton Festival favourites Circa and an immersive new musical celebrating Scottish tradition the ceilidh
- Family stories The Snowman and The Adventures of the Little Red Hen
- Cracking Christmas shows, festive singalongs and winter music concerts
From modern twists on much-loved tales and traditions for the whole family, to fabulous shows from some of the region’s best queer artists and classic Christmas concerts and singalongs, plus crafting, comedy and shopping, Brighton Dome is a veritable selection box of festive treats this December.
Coming to the Concert Hall for 8 performances, acclaimed Australian company Circa’s Duck Pond (23-24 & 26-28 Dec, ages 5+) is a family-friendly reimagining of classic stories Swan Lake and The Ugly Duckling. Combining sumptuous aerials and jaw dropping acrobatics, shot through with cheeky humour and contemporary energy, it tells a touching and entertaining story of identity and finding your true self, complete with a flipper-wearing duck army and a burlesque black swan.
In the Corn Exchange, step into the heart of one of Scotland’s oldest and most beloved traditions in the brand-new Ceilidh the Musical (15-20 Dec). Led by a lively caller, this immersive show creates a whirlwind of music and memories as a story of family, legacy and queer love begins to unfold. More than a play and more than a night out, it’s a gathering of songs, stories and dances that audiences become part of, enjoying a dram or two along the way.
For families, Stuff and Nonsense Theatre brings an adaptation of the much-loved fable The Adventures of the Little Red Hen to the Corn Exchange, featuring puppetry, live music and unforgettable comedy (22–24 Dec, ages 3+). Crafty Christmas arts and crafts workshops in Brighton Dome Anita’s Room are opportunities for children and their grownups to create silhouette shadow lanterns, spoon puppets and snowy scenes (5–20 Dec, ages 3–11). The Concert Hall hosts classic Christmas film The Snowman, soundtracked by a professional orchestra performing live (19 Dec) and One Voice Festival of Singing returns, bringing together more than 2,200 young singers from Primary and Special Schools across Brighton & Hove and East Sussex. The annual seasonal celebration of singing is produced by music education service Create Music, part of Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival, and Glyndebourne, in partnership with De La Warr Pavilion, and will see performances at all three venues across December.
Brighton’s Big Drag Pageant (10 Dec) is back on the Concert Hall stage with a winter spectacular celebrating the city’s underground alternative drag scene, featuring a cast of all-star contestants and hosted by Brighton-based drag artist Alfie Ordinary. Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus (12 Dec) perform a new festive concert, this year themed around a camp murder mystery humorously told through Christmas classics. In ORGANOKE (18 Dec), Brighton’s own rapping pensioner Ida Barr leads an evening of organ-accompanied Christmas karaoke and festive antics.
Brighton Festival Chorus and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra join forces for their annual Christmas concert (13 Dec), conducted by James Morgan with renowned mezzo-soprano Juliette Pochin and featuring carols, Christmas songs and an opportunity for audience members to try their hand at conducting. The Choir with No Name Brighton, made up of people impacted by homelessness, returns for their Big Christmas Singalong (15 Dec), with Brighton-based band Arxx as special guests this year. Donations and profits from the night will benefit the Choir, which is run in partnership with homelessness charity BHT Sussex.
For the first time, a Christmas concert will be staged in the Corn Exchange as The Purcell Singers (29 Nov), alongside harpist Eleanor Medcalfe, present a festive programme that celebrates Christmas music from the Renaissance to present day, with traditional carols and modern classics. In the Studio Theatre, Gaudete! (11 Dec) sees English folk duo Green Matthews joined by a violinist and an early woodwind player to evoke the spirit of Christmas past with a setlist that includes carols, winter folk songs and toe tapping tunes spanning 600 years of festive music, from the Middle Ages to the 20th century, performed on a plethora of weird and wonderful instruments.
Live at Christmas (20 Dec) is a chance to catch comedy all stars and their best festive jokes. King of the tiny keyboards and star of 8 Out Of 10 Cats, David O’Doherty headlines alongside writer and QI sensation Sara Pascoe. Last One Laughing star Amy Gledhill hosts and the line-up is completed by fast-rising talent Toussaint Douglass and Taskmaster icon Bridget Christie.
The 11th edition of the annual Etsy Christmas Fair (5 Dec) returns to Brighton Dome’s Foyer, with stalls from over 90 local, independent designers, artists and makers a great option for stylish, contemporary present shopping. Christmas Craft and Chat (19-20 Dec) sessions for adults are open to all to grab a drink and create snowy scenes and unique shadow lanterns with friends, using natural and found materials and a few surprise elements.
Explore the whole Christmas programme and book tickets at brightondome.org
