The Snow Queen Pantomime

Gerda takes on a sweetie-fuelled winter rescue

The Snow Queen has cancelled Christmas and kidnapped Kai, sending Gerda and her sweetie-loving mum, Dame Candy Cane, across frozen lakes and past greedy goblins to the Winter Palace. Chipping Norton Theatre turns the tale into a family pantomime with original music, handmade costumes and sets, and a blizzard of sweeties.

Caroline Leslie directs, Toby Hulse writes and Paul Herbert composes the show, which is suggested for ages four and over and lasts around two hours 20 minutes including the interval. The season runs from 18 November to 17 January, with family, school and adult-only performances; the adult-only showings are for ages 18 and over, and schools book through the Box Office.

Relaxed performances on 27 November at 11am, 10 December at 4pm and 5 January at 10am offer adjusted sound and lighting with a more informal atmosphere; the January session requires Box Office booking. The 5 December 2pm show is captioned, while the 28 November 2pm show is audio described with a 1pm touch tour.

Four wheelchair spaces with companion seating are part of the auditorium, so arrange these through the Box Office or Access Register and say if you need a seat to transfer into. Step-free access is through the Spring Street bar door to the stalls and accessible toilet; the balcony needs stairs because the building has no lift, and there is no Changing Places toilet.

Tell the Box Office about walkers or mobility aids, which need storing in the bar apart from walking sticks. If you cannot walk up to 25 metres without your aid, arrange a wheelchair space instead; the street approach also has uneven paving and camber. Parking on Spring Street is very limited, with disabled bays in the nearby town-centre car park.

The 6pm performances on 22 and 29 December offer a stage tour, and groups buying 14 tickets receive a fifteenth free except at Peak performances. The theatre has a visual story and can arrange a familiarisation visit if a first trip feels daunting. Pick the showing around your group and access needs, then settle in for Gerda and Dame Candy Cane's winter rescue.

Ticketed. Book through Chipping Norton Theatre; check the full dates and performance labels.

Wednesday 18 November 2026 · The Theatre, 2 Spring Street, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire OX7 5NL · Preview starts 6pm; further showings through Sunday 17 January 2027