PANTOMIMES IN KENT 2025/2026
Top Pantos in the Garden of England

Get ready to shout They’re Behind You! and boo the baddie with our comprehensive Pantomimes in Kent Guide 2025/6. We’ve rounded up the best Christmas pantomimes in the Garden of England for pure festive fun. Step into a magical world of fairy tales, fables, and a whole lot of ‘dame-tastic’ comedy. From the bright lights and stunning sets to the hilarious audience participation and cheesy lines, panto is a truly unique experience for all the family. Additionally, delve into the history of this extraordinary theatre tradition and discover its origins.

Find your perfect show and get your panto tickets now!

Just for the grown-ups, there are also several stages where you can expect filthy jokes, outrageous costumes, and more double (and single!) entendres than you can shake a fairy godmother’s wand at. See our Adult Pantomimes in Kent Guide for the saucy shows!

By Wendy Copping

Click on the panto heading for our listing for full details on these fantastic Christmas Kent pantomimes. We are still waiting on details for a few more shows so keep checking in for updates.

KENT PANTOMIMES 2025/2026

WEST KENT PANTOS

Top Christmas Pantomime shows in Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells and Sevenoaks

Nativity! The Musical
Trinity Theatre, Tunbridge Wells
12th to 27th December 2025
A lacklustre response to putting on a school’s nativity is soon bolstered when a rumour spreads that a Hollywood producer is coming to see the show to turn it into a film 🎥. Based on the movie, see the children, parents, and whole town thrown into a whirlwind of glitter, giggles, and festive frenzy ✨.
Prices
Child – 15 years and under: £25.50
Adult: £29.50
Go!Card: £25.50
Booking fees apply.

Runtime
2 hours and 20 minutes – includes an interval.

✨

Sleeping Beauty
Assembly Hall Theatre, Tunbridge Wells
13th to 31st December 2025
Stars of stage and screen, Lee Mead and Mina Anwar play Prince Vince and Fairy Lights respectively in this panto classic. Nurse Nancy is making plans for the christening of the baby Princess Rose in Coalvill Castle 🍼. However, when Carabosse finds out she is not invited, she sets out to put a spindle in the works! Can Prince Vince save the day and awaken the sleeping beauty 🍎?
Prices
Child: £19-£38
Adult: £29-£45
Schools and other discounts are available.
Booking fees may apply.

✨

Cinderella
Queen’s Hall Theatre, Cranbrook, Tunbridge Wells
27th to 30th December 2025
Classic pantomimes in Kent for 2025 include this production of a family festive favourite, and find out if Cinders makes it to the ball 💃.
Prices
Adult: £15
Child – under 12 years: £10
Booking fees will apply.

✨

Jack & The Beanstalk
EM Forster Theatre, Tonbridge
12th December 2025-3rd January 2026
Join Jack as he exchanges his cherished cow for magical beans, sparking an extraordinary adventure in this thrilling, festive family show. Climb the suspense as he ascends the colossal beanstalk to face the formidable giant, to win back his cow ‘pat’. In addition, see if he can also win back his sweetheart.
Prices
Adult: £22-£31
Child – under 16 years: £22-£28
School: £15
Booking fees may apply.

✨

The Last N.O.E.L
Penshurst Place, Tonbridge
13th to 23rd December 2025
In this mini panto, Father Christmas needs help as the naughty old elves are creating havoc. The Naughty Old Evels Limited (N.O.E.L) are using their hypnotic powers to take over the toy-making to ruin Christmas. Mother Christmas is under their control, and Neville the Elf is convinced that Rapping rather than Wrapping is the best career move for him! Can you help Father Christmas save the festive season?
Prices
£9
Child – under 1 year: Free – no ticket required, but must sit on the lap of a parent/guardian
Parking: Free
Booking fee will apply
Includes entry to the Adventure Playground, but weather dependent.
Runtime
25-30 minutes.

✨

Aladdin
Stag Sevenoaks
12th December 2025 to 3rd January 2026
As Silly Billy and Dame Elaine Staige take a flying magical carpet ride to Chinatown, be prepared, lots of jokes from last year’s panto – Silly Billy has limited new material. Expect audience participation, especially for latecomers! There is plenty of banter, questionable singing in this family festive fun show.
Prices
Very Restricted View: £16
Standard/Restricted View: £22-£37
Booking fees may apply.

ADULT PANTO IN WEST KENT 2025/2026

Aladdin
Stag Sevenoaks
19th and 28th December 2025, and 2nd January 2026
Join Silly Billy and Dame Elaine Staige on a magical carpet ride to Chinatown with Aladdin at Stag Sevenoaks. Expect audience participation, especially for latecomers! There is plenty of banter, questionable singing, and be prepared, lots of jokes from last year’s panto – Silly Billy has limited new material! Another festive adult-only fun show in the Garden of England.
Prices
Very Restricted View: £16
Standard/Restricted View: £27
Booking fees may apply.

EAST KENT PANTOS

Top Christmas Pantomime shows in Ashford, Broadstairs, Canterbury, Ramsgate and Tenterden

Sleeping Beauty
Malthouse Theatre, Canterbury
10th December 2025 to 3rd January 2026
With a West End cast, dazzling sets and costumes, and lots of laughs – oh yes,  there are in this magical show of the panto classic.
Prices
£10-£24.50
Family: £69-£89
Babies on lap – under 18 months: Free
Group discounts available
Booking fees apply.

✨

Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs
The Marlowe, Canterbury
28th November 2025 to 11th January 2026
Enjoy the memorable thrills, costumes, lavish sets, great music and plenty of panto-themed jokes. The cast includes Sarah Hadland (Miranda, Strictly Come Dancing, original cast of Horrible Histories), Phil Gallagher (Mister Maker), and Marlowe legend Ben Roddy.
Prices
Marlowe members save money on most shows.
Other discounts are available, including school (selected performances, booking by phone or in person) and multi-show offers
Booking fees may apply.
Accessibility
RP: 4th December, 10.30am
*AD: 7th December, 1pm
BSL: 13th and 28th December, 2.30pm
CAP: 14th December, 1pm and 5pm
*For blind and partially sighted customers, there is a free touch tour for the matinee performance on 7th December. This provides an opportunity to immerse oneself in the world presented on stage by touching the set parts, props and costumes.

✨

 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
Minster Playhouse, Ramsgate
3rd to 6th December 2025
Four siblings discover a magical world called Narnia through a wardrobe. Together with noble lion, Aslan, they embark on a mission to defeat the evil White Witch who has plunged Narnia into an eternal winter. Through their bravery and sacrifice, can they restore peace and become Kings and Queens, fulfilling an ancient prophecy in an enchanted land?
Prices
£12
Child – under 12 years: £8
Booking fees will apply

✨

Aladdin
Granville Theatre, Ramsgate
13th to 24th December 2025
Join the flying festive fun as Aladdin battles the devious Abanazar, and soars high on his enchanted carpet in a quest to win Princess Jasmine’s heart with a little help from a mysterious lamp!
Prices
From £26.95
Booking fees apply.

✨

Dick Whittington
Sarah Thorne Theatre, Broadstairs
13th, 14th, 20th to 24th, and 27th to 31st December 2025
Pantomimes in Kent 2025 includes the theatre’s 14th annual traditional panto and family-friendly festive show.
Prices
Advance/Door
Adult: £24/£26
Child – up to 14 years: £22/£24
In advance only
Family ticket – 4 tickets: £88
Booking fees apply.

✨

The Magical Tale of Snow White
Playhouse Theatre Whitstable
22nd to 25th January, and 28th January to 1st February 2026
The Lindley Players bring this beloved fairytale to life wth a dazzling production of this family favourite. Meet your favourite characters, boo the wicked queen, cheer for the heroes, and experience a spellbinding journey through a world of magic, mischief, and merriment!
Prices
£14
Member: £12
Booking fees will apply.

✨

Fanny Folkly Panto
Taylor Hall, St Lawrence College, Ramsgate
19th to 21st February 2026
The annual fundraising Police Panto returns with Fanny Folkly in Thanet.
Prices
Early Bird: 10% discount until 25th December 2025
Adult: £18
Child: £12.50
Concession – over 60 years/Disabled: £15
Family – 2 adults + 2 children: £50
Booking fees will also apply.
Accessibility
BSL signed performance: 19th February, 2pm. Limited disabled car parking may involve a short walk. Drivers can drop off disabled passengers at the theatre, prior to parking.

✨

Jack and the Beanstalk
Sinden Theatre, Tenterden
13th to 31st December 2025
Enjoy plenty of festive family fun and join Jack, his beloved cow, and a hilarious cast of characters as they embark on a giant adventure full of laughs, adventure, and surprise
Prices
Adult: £19
Child – Under 16 years: £16
Family – 2 Adults + 2 Children: £64
Ten-2-Ten Performance: 14th December, 9:50am: £9.50
Booking fees will apply.

✨

Sleeping Beauty
The Rylance Theatre, Towers School and Sixth Form Centre, Ashford
19th December 2025 to 3rd January 2026
Blue Phoenix Productions Ltd presents this family favourite panto
Prices
Child/OAP: £16.50
Adult: £18.50
Family – 2 Adults+ 2 Children: £65
Booking fees will apply.

****

ADULT PANTO IN EAST KENT 2025/2026

 Jack Off The Beanstalk
Sinden Theatre, Tenterden
8th to 17th January 2026
See this risque version of the classic panto tale as Jack’s hard – on his luck! When rent boy Fleshlight calls and there’s no cash to spare, Jack’s brother Thick Twatt and his mother, Dame Twatt are left clutching their sagging udders with nothing left in their coin
purse! ​Will Jack use his chopper, rise to the occasion and beat off the giant, or will he cum up short? ​
Price
£24
Booking fees will apply.

✨

Sinderella
Sarah Thorne Theatre, Broadstairs
10th January 2026
This is a p%*$ed up panto, with base and coarse language, stupidity, cheap laughs and plenty of innuendo, where the glass slipper is a shot glass! See Stratford Theatre Company’s very adult take on this festive tale 🧹.
Prices
Advance/Door
Adult: £24/£26
Child – up to 14 years: £22/£24
In advance only
Family ticket – 4 tickets: £88
Booking fees apply.

✨

Jack Off The Beanstalk
King’s Hall, Herne Bay
18th January 2026
In this classic festive panto with a very adult makeover, Jack’s on a quest to save Dame Trott’s farm. He heads to the cattle market, but is milked by the fiendish Fleshlight 😈, swapping his beloved cow Daist for a handful of ‘magic’ beans. 🌱 Find out how exactly big this Beanstalk is, and if he saves the day in this production with filthy innuendos!
Strictly for adults only
Prices
£28-£30
Booking fees apply.

✨

Jack Off The Beanstalk
Granville Theatre, Ramsgate
23rd & 24th January 2026
Jack’s hard… on his luck! After playing with more than just his beans, he’s got a giant problem on his hands (and not the fun kind!) 😈 When the rent boy Fleshlight calls and there’s no cash to spare, Jack’s brother Thick Twatt and his mother, Dame Twatt, are left clutching their sagging udders with nothing left in their coin purse! 🌱 Will Jack use his chopper, rise to the occasion and beat off the giant, or will he cum up short?
Prices
From £34.65
Booking fees apply.
****

KENT PANTOMIMES 2024/2025

NORTH KENT PANTOS

Top Christmas Pantomime shows in Maidstone, Gravesend, Chatham, and Dartford

Dick Whittington
Hazlitt Theatre, Maidstone
29th November to 31st December 2025
Follow plucky hero, Dick, as he journeys to London in search of fame, fortune, and his destiny, with a little help from his trusty cat and a magical fairy. Will Dick find his fortune? Will the dastardly villain be thwarted? And can the panto hero really talk to his cat?
Prices
£28-£32
Child/Senior: £26-£30
Family of 4: £95-£105
Babes in arms up to 2 years, who cannot sit unaided and have to sit on laps: Free
Family Special shows – certain dates only: £20
School shows* – certain dates only: £19-£22
Group 10+: £25-29
Booking fees apply.
Runtime
2 hours and 15 minutes – with an interval.

✨

Cinderella
The Woodville, Gravesend
5th December 2025 to 4th January 2026
Cinder’s dreams of escaping her chores and dancing the night away at the Royal Ball, but her wicked stepmother and two diva-licious stepsisters stand in her way. Will she make it to the ball and get her fairy tale ending?
Prices
Child – under 16 years: £17-£25
Adult: £20-£28
Schools: £14 and teacher £2.50
Group discounts available
Booking fees may apply.
Accessibility
Relaxed Performance: 2nd January 2026, 1pm.

✨

Sleeping Beauty
Central Theatre, Chatham
11th December 2025 to 4th January 2026
Can the kind-hearted Fairy Fortywinks help stop the wicked Carabosse from getting her revenge? Join Chester the Jester, who is looking for someone to laugh at his jokes, and Dame Nellie Night Nurse, who is on the hunt for love (probably from the two front rows!). The cast includes Lee Latchford-Evans from STEPS plays swash-buckling Prince Valiant, and is joined by CITV and CBBC star Naomi Wilkinson, as Fairy Fortywinks, and EastEnders and Hollyoaks star Carli Norris, as the wicked Carabosse.
Prices
Preview Night: £18
Standard tickets: From £21.50
School and group tickets available
Booking fees may apply
Accessibility
BSL signed performances: 14th December, 6pm and 30th December, 5pm
Relaxed performance: 30th December, 5pm.

✨

Aladdin
The Friars, Aylesford, Maidstone
13th December 2025
A magical lamp and a genie who can grant his wildest wishes change Aladdin’s life. He embarks on a fight with a wicked sorcerer to win the heart of Princess Jasmine in this panto adventure story. Will he get his happily ever after?
Prices
Advance/On the Door
Adult: £10/11
Child – 2 to 12 years: £7/£8
Child – under 2 years: Free
Booking is advised.

✨

Aladdin
Orchard West Theatre
13th December 2025 – Sun 4th January 2026
On this carpet ride of festive fun, will Aladdin be able to ward off the wicked sorcerer to gain control of the magic lamp and win the heart of Jasmine? Enjoy all the panto faves of a dastardly villain, a hapless comic, a hilarious panto dame, and bags of slapstick fun.
The cast includes Linda Robson (Birds of a Feather icon and Loose Women), comedian Rikki Jay, panto regular Jason-Marc-Williams, West End star Cleve September and Mandy Muden (Britain’s Got Talent and America’s Got Talent).
Prices
Peak: £28-£35
Off-Peak: £20-£28
Super Saver: £15-£20
Family – 2 adults + 2 children – under 16 years on all off-peak tickets: £85-£100
Concession – under 16 years/Over 60 years/Students/Unemployed: £2 discount on peak and off-peak tickets
Member adn school discounts available on certain shows.
Accessibility
Relaxed Performance: 18th December 2025, 12Noon
Audio Described: 29th December, 1pm
BSL Interpreted: 29th December, 5pm.

✨

Sleeping Beauty
Sheppey Little Theatre
9th January 2026
Touring Pantos present their family-friendly production of this Pantomime fave.
Price
£15.

Adult Pantos in North Kent

Jack Off The Beanstalk
The Woodville, Gravesend
31st January 2026
Jack is down and hard – in terms of luck and has to sell his beloved cow when rent boy Fleshlights calls, and there is no spare cash. Jack’s brother, Thick Twatt and his mother, Dame Twatt, are left clutching their sagging udders!
Price
£28.

SOUTH KENT PANTOS

Top Christmas Pantomime shows in Deal, Dover and Folkestone

Robin Hood
The Astor, Deal
19th to 30th December 2025
Join Robin and his band of merry men as they outwit the dastardly Sheriff of Nottingham. Expect thrills, dazzling costumes, plenty of audience participation, and a sprinkle of magic in this pantomime in Kent for 2025.
Prices
Standard: £17.50-£27.50
Gala Night: 19th December at 7.30pm: £30
Booking fees will apply.

✨

Peter Pan
Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone
12th to 31st December 2025
Join Peter and Wendy on their magical high-flying adventures in Neverland, with pirates, mermaids, lost children, and the wicked Captain Hook, pursued by his ticking crocodile. Enjoy great panto favourites and audience participation in this classic family-festive show for Christmas.
Prices
From £15-£32
Booking fees will apply.

✨

Jack and the Beanstalk
The Tower Theatre, Folkestone
12th to 28th December 2025
See the Folkestone-Hythe Operatic & Dramatic Society’s production of this classic panto story, as Jack’s giant adventures as he swaps his big cow for magic beans. Enjoy music, mayhem, laughter, and terrible jokes at this festive show as he climbs the beanstalk to confront the evil giant!
Prices
Stalls/Gallery
Adult: £21/£19
Child – Under 18 years: £14/£14
Member: £19/£17
Family ticket – 2 adults & 2 under 18 years: £65/£60.

✨

Cinderella
Dover College Performing Arts Centre
16th to 28th December 2025
Bucks Fizz legend Mike Nolan, John Pritchard and Natalie Hubbard star in this classic panto. Great British Pantos present Cinderella at this new Kent venue.
Prices
£14-£60.
Runtime
3 hours and 30 minutes

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Pantomimes in Kent 2026/6

See Kent, Know Kent this Christmas!

All pantomimes in Kent listed here are subject to Christmas holiday closures.

Picture Credit: 

HISTORY OF PANTO

Italian Past
Pantomime has its roots in ‘Commedia dell’Arte’, a 16th-century Italian entertainment which used dance, music, tumbling, and acrobatics and featured a cast of mischievous stock characters. In addition, the genre featured stock characters, such as Harlequin and Pantaloon, engaging in humorous and often improvised performances that relied heavily on physical comedy and audience interaction.

Rich’s Harlequinades
In the early 18th Century, pantomime began to take shape in England. Early pantomimes were based on classical stories, set to music but without speech. Harlequin was the star of 18th-Century pantomime, and in 1732, John Rich, the most notable early Harlequin who danced but never spoke, built Covent Garden Theatre with the profits of his magical pantomimes. In addition, he developed Harlequinades, which mimed with music and lots of slapstick, and dominated pantomime for around 100 years. 

Time To Talk
Another key point is that until 1843, theatre licensing had restricted the use of the spoken word in performances. The Theatres Act lifted the restriction, allowing any theatre without a royal patent to produce a play with purely spoken dialogue. Consequently, witty puns, wordplay and audience participation were added to the repertoire of mime, daring chase scenes and spectacular transformations. Markedly favourite fairy-tale characters, magical animals, principal boys and pantomime dames became part of the mix.

Christmas Tradition
The Victorian era marked a significant evolution in pantomime, transforming it into a family-oriented spectacle, performed at Christmas. They started to feature fairy tales and nursery rhymes, adding narrative structure that audiences could easily follow. In addition, key elements, such as the pantomime dame (a comedic, cross-dressing character played by a man) and the principal boy (a young male hero typically played by a woman), became standardised during this period. Another key point is that opening on Boxing Day started these extravagant productions at the largest London theatres.

Panto Today
 Today, pantomimes are a staple of British culture, markedly characterised by their interaction with the audience, slapstick comedy, ineundo, and a blend of traditional and contemporary elements. Additionally, they often feature celebrity performers for that extra added attraction, though many theatre shows use regular actors who are firm favourites with the audience.

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