Elmbridge panto 2026/27: three Walton shows, Nov to Jan

Elmbridge has one theatre, the Cecil Hepworth Playhouse in Walton-on-Thames, and this season it has three pantomimes: one in early November, one the week before Christmas and one in the second weekend of January. All three have dates. The bigger commercial pantos are all just outside the borough, in Kingston, Woking and Leatherhead, and all three are on sale.

Updated 9 October: the Playhouse has added the Desborough Players’ Beauty and the Beast, 8 to 10 January 2027.

In the borough: the Cecil Hepworth Playhouse, Walton

A 160-seat community venue at KT12 1AU, run as a registered charity and programmed by local societies rather than a producing company. Booking is through TicketSource and each production sells its own tickets.

Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood, 3 to 7 November

Hinchley Manor Operatic Society’s family panto, and the earlier of the two. Tuesday to Friday at 7.30pm, Saturday at 2pm and 7pm. The society takes bookings on 07917 107636 and sells through TicketSource.

If early November sounds odd for a panto, it is the Playhouse’s usual pattern: the venue is shared, so companies take the slot they can get.

Once Upon a Time in Pantoland, 17 to 20 December

MMT and MDA’s production, in the traditional slot, Thursday to Sunday, 17 to 20 December. Performance times are not yet published. The booking number is 0208 941 3255.

Beauty and the Beast, 8 to 10 January

The Desborough Players’ panto, Friday 8 to Sunday 10 January 2027, listed on the Playhouse’s What’s On page. The society says its panto sells out every year. Performance times and prices are not yet published; booking is through the link on the Playhouse listing.

Also on this season

• Lee Alexander as Elvis, Thursday 26 November, 7.45pm, bar open from 6.45pm.
• Shrek the Musical, WWAOS, 1 to 5 December, evenings 7.30pm with a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm. Not a panto, but it is the family show of the December run.

Just outside: the three big ones

Rose Theatre, Kingston: The Wind in the Willows

Wednesday 25 November to Sunday 3 January, the Rose’s own production with the Rose Youth Theatre. Nearest for Thames Ditton, Long Ditton, Hinchley Wood and the Moleseys.

Worth knowing from the schedule: there is no performance on 25 December or 1 January, previews run 25 to 28 November at 6.30pm plus 2 December at 2pm, and press night is 3 December at 7pm. Access performances are audio described on 21 December at 5.30pm, captioned on 22 December at 5.30pm and relaxed on 29 December at 11.30am. Running time and age guidance were both still listed as to be confirmed when we checked.

Woking Theatre: Goldilocks and The Three Bears

5 December to 3 January, starring Brian Conley. Note that several listing sites give 4 December as the first date; the theatre’s own page says 5 December, so book from that.

Leatherhead Theatre: Beauty and the Beast

LP Creatives’ production, main run 19 to 27 December, with a fuller programme around it than the headline dates suggest:

• School performances, 14 to 17 December
• Relaxed performance, Wednesday 16 December, 5.30pm
• Scouts and Brownies performance, Thursday 17 December, 5.30pm
• Backstage tours, Sunday 6 December, three of them, limited spaces, with proceeds funding theatre improvements
• Booty and the Beast, an over-18s adult panto, Monday 21 December, 7.30pm, one night only

The box office is 01372 365141. RARE Productions also brings Peter Pan to Leatherhead from 7 to 9 January 2027, if you want a panto after the schools go back.

What it means for you

• Three pantos in the borough, all at the Cecil Hepworth Playhouse in Walton: Robin Hood, 3 to 7 November; Once Upon a Time in Pantoland, 17 to 20 December; Beauty and the Beast, 8 to 10 January.
• The Playhouse is small and each society sells its own tickets, so book direct rather than waiting for a listings site to update.
• For an accessible performance, look outside the borough. Kingston has audio described, captioned and relaxed dates and Leatherhead has a relaxed performance; the Playhouse productions do not advertise any.
• If you want the traditional big-cast panto, Woking is the one with the television name attached, and it runs the longest.
• Elmbridge council car parks are free on bank holidays and give 30 minutes free the rest of the year. Evening rules vary by car park: see our parking in Elmbridge page.

Sources

• What’s On, Cecil Hepworth Playhouse, for the Robin Hood dates and times, the Pantoland dates, the Desborough Players’ Beauty and the Beast dates, the Shrek and Elvis dates, the booking numbers and the venue’s charity status.
• The Desborough Players, for the society’s annual Playhouse panto, which it says sells out.
• Hinchley Manor Operatic Society, for the Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood production and its TicketSource booking route.
• The Wind in the Willows, Rose Theatre, for the 25 November to 3 January run, the full performance list, the preview and press night dates and the audio described, captioned and relaxed performances.
• Pantomime in Woking 2026/27, Woking Theatre, for Goldilocks and The Three Bears, Brian Conley and the 5 December to 3 January dates.
• What’s On, The Leatherhead Theatre, for Beauty and the Beast, the school, relaxed, Scouts and Brownies and backstage tour dates, Booty and the Beast on 21 December and Peter Pan in January 2027.

More from Elmbridge News: things to do in Elmbridge, parking in Elmbridge and trains and travel.