LatestReviewsSleeping Beauty at the London Palladium

Pantomime returns to the London Palladium for a glittering 10th year! This time with a new title Sleeping Beauty! With a complete new triumphant set, incredible visual effects and a nod to the last 10 years at the Palladium it is easy to see why people fall in love over and over again. This is THE Pantomime!

We were lucky to be attending one of the first showings of the magnificent production on Sunday 7th December 2025.

Oh my my… what a show it was!

As the London Palladium pantomime celebrates their 10th anniversary, Sleeping Beauty arrives not just as another festive offering, but as a full-blown celebration of everything this now-beloved tradition has come to represent. Big laughs, bigger stars, jaw-dropping visuals and yes, the occasional ropey timing all combine to create the kind of joyful, communal theatre experience that keeps audiences coming back year after year.

From the opening moments, it’s clear this is panto on a truly epic scale. The Palladium once again proves why it is the undisputed home of West End Panto, a place where spectacle meets silliness and tradition is celebrated with a knowing wink. This is a show bursting with confidence, heart and festive cheer, and despite a few pacing wobbles along the way, it remains the stellar experience audiences have come to expect.

The Set, Staging & Special Effects. A Glittering Feast for the Eyes

Let’s start with the brand-new glittering set, because frankly, it deserves its own round of applause. Truly magnificent in scale and detail, the design transforms the Palladium stage into a shimmering fairytale playground. Every scene change feels like a reveal, with lavish backdrops, glowing colours and clever transitions that keep the audience constantly gasping and grinning.

The special effects are out of this world from bursts of magic to moments that quite literally soak the stalls. Yes, I got wet… but that’s all part of the fun! It’s joyous, immersive and exactly what panto should be: playful, surprising and completely unafraid to get the audience involved. Whether it’s visual wizardry, magical transformations or water-soaked mayhem, this production fully commits to the spectacle, and the result is utterly thrilling.

Catherine Tate — Carabosse the Wicked

Catherine Tate makes a sensational Palladium panto debut as Carabosse, bringing with her a sharp wit and gloriously dry delivery that cuts through the chaos with ease. She commands the stage effortlessly, her wicked fairy equal parts deliciously evil and irresistibly funny. Every entrance feels like an event, and her ability to riff with the audience gives the show a wonderfully spontaneous edge. Catherine even throws in some nods to her incredible comedic past, a treat for all.

Julian Clary — King Julian

Julian Clary returns to the Palladium throne as King Julian, proving once again why he is panto royalty. His humour is as cheeky and perfectly pitched as ever, laced with innuendo that sails blissfully over younger heads while sending the adults into fits of laughter. Even when scenes meander slightly, Clary’s presence keeps the energy buoyant and the audience firmly on side. Clary is as magnificent as always gracing the Palladium Panto for his 10th year too! His costumes are incredible and somehow continue to get bigger, more lavish and sparkly year on year.

Paul Zerdin — The Great Zerdini

Paul Zerdin’s The Great Zerdini is a masterclass in controlled chaos. His puppetry remains endlessly entertaining, blending technical brilliance with genuine warmth. His routines bring a different rhythm to the show, offering moments of playful anarchy that are always greeted with huge audience reaction, especially from younger theatre-goers.

Paul and Sam have been in the Palladium Panto for the full 10 year run too and you can see why they keep returning the audience love them. Paul is an incredible ventriloquist, you cannot see his mouth move!

Nigel Havers — Keeper of the Privy

As the wonderfully titled Keeper of the Privy, Nigel Havers delivers impeccable straight-faced comedy. His dignified delivery in the midst of panto madness is comedy gold, and his scenes often prompt some of the biggest laughs of the afternoon. It’s a performance built on timing, understatement and a twinkle of knowing self-awareness. Nigel’s return has once again made the Palladium Panto that little bit more chaotic and fun,

Rob Madge — The Diva of Dreams

Rob Madge shines like the diamond he is in this magical production as the Diva of Dreams, bringing both powerhouse vocals and heartfelt charm. This role could easily become all sparkle and camp, but Madge adds real emotional warmth, grounding the fantasy and lifting the musical numbers to another level. A genuine highlight and stand-out performance, well done Rob! Rob holds the show together and adds that extra sparkle.

Jon Culshaw — Private Detective

Jon Culshaw slots seamlessly into the cast as the ever-confused private detective. His comic instincts are sharp, and he makes the most of every moment, adding an extra layer of fun to King Julian’s world with plenty of characterful flair.

Culshaw’s impressions are incredible and add yet another layer to this year’s spectacle. If you were to close your eyes, though you don’t want to miss any of this year’s magic you really would think they were there in the room!

Emily Lane & Amonik Melaco – Princess Beauty and Prince of Pimlico

Emily Lane brings sweetness and sparkle to Princess Beauty (or should we say Aroarroar), while Amonik Melaco’s Prince delivers the classic panto hero energy with confidence and charm. Together they anchor the fairytale heart of the story, ensuring that amid the madness, magic and mayhem, the narrative never completely loses its way, plot… what plot?

The Verdict

Is Sleeping Beauty perfectly paced? Not always. There are moments where the timing feels a little ropey and scenes could snap into place more cleanly but honestly, that’s part of the joy of live panto. What matters is the atmosphere, the laughter, the shared experience and on that front, this show delivers in abundance, and then some.

This is pantomime with ambition, spectacle and a whole lot of heart. As the Palladium celebrates ten years of festive magic, Sleeping Beauty stands proudly as proof that this tradition isn’t just continuing, it’s thriving. A soaking, sparkling, laugh-out-loud celebration that promises many more years of Christmas joy to come. Oh yes there will be!

Running at the London Palladium until Sunday 11th January 2026 – DO NOT MISS this incredible show you can book your tickets here.