Musicals, dance and circuses

Zena Donnelly as Annie at the National Concert Hall, Dublin
Zena Donnelly as Annie at the National Concert Hall, Dublin

ANTRIM
Hunchback: The Musical
Director Paul Boyd has written and composed the music to this stage adaptation of Victor Hugo's novel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Theatre at the Mill, Mossley Mill, Newtownabbey, £15-£25 Dec 2-14 048-90340202 theatreatthemill.com


BELFAST
Cinderella
Fun songs, colourful characters and high spirits in this musical. Lyric Theatre, Belfast Until Jan 5 £12.50/£18 048-90381081 lyrictheatre.co.uk


DUBLIN
The Snowman Christmas Special
This wonderful animated film by Raymond Briggs will be shown on a 20m screen, with narration by Shay Byrne, and with Howard Blake's original score performed by the Irish Philharmonic Orchestra. O2 Dec 8 €15-€23 0818-719300 ticketmaster.ie


The Wizard of Oz
A screening of this classic movie with original dialogue and singing accompanied by the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. NCH, Earlsfort Terrace Dec 14 €23-€35 01-4170000 nch.ie

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Christmas Concert featuring The Snowman and Eimear Quinn
A screening of The Snowman with live shadow-puppet animation and special guest Eimear Quinn, with Howard Blake's score played by the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. Pauline McLynn narrates. NCH Dec 20-22 €15/€20 01-4170000 nch.ie


Annie
The uplifting tale of a feisty orphan who is adopted by a millionaire. NCH Dec 27-30, Jan 2-3 €18-€36 01-4170000 nch.ie
Nightmare Before Christmas and
A Christmas Tale The Irish National Youth Ballet performs these festive productions. Pavilion Theatre, Dún Laoghaire, Dec 12-15 €13-€20 01-2312929 paviliontheatre.ie


Santa's Christmas Circus
Fossett's Circus mixes international circus acts with festive performances as part of Christmas Wonderland. RDS, Ballsbridge Dec 6-Jan 12 €8.10/€9 087-7978518 fossettscircus.com,
christmaswonderland.ie

ON TOUR
'Twas the Night Before Christmas/ O
íche Roimh an Nollag
A bilingual show from Branar Theatre Company combining storytelling, live music and puppetry Dec 2-3 Hawkswell Theatre, Sligo €5/€7.50 071-9161518 hawkswell.com; Dec 4, The Dock, Carrick-on-Shannon, Leitrim €5 071-9650828 thedock.ie; Dec 6 The Source Arts Centre, Thurles, Co Tipperary €6/€8 0504-90204 thesourcearts centre.ie; Dec 8-10 Lime Tree Theatre, Limerick €8 061-774774 limetreetheatre.ie; Dec 11 Watergate Theatre, Kilkenny €5 056-7761674 watergatetheatre.com; Dec 13-14 Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge, Co Kildare €8 045-448327 riverbank.ie; Dec 16, Pavilion Theatre, Dún Laoghaire 01-2312929 paviliontheatre.ie; Dec 17-18 Draíocht, Blanchardstown €5 01-8852622 draiocht.ie; Dec 20-22 An Taibhdhearc, Galway €8 091-562024
antaibhdhearc.com

Sylvia Thompson

Sylvia Thompson

Sylvia Thompson, a contributor to The Irish Times, writes about health, heritage and the environment