The 2026 Bristol Hippodrome pantomime featuring Craig Revel Horwood as Carabosse and Andy Ford as Muddles, with magic, music and comedy for all ages.
Sleeping Beauty is the 2026 pantomime at the Bristol Hippodrome, running from 5 December 2026 to 3 January 2027. It's a story most of us know by heart: Princess Aurora is cursed by her wicked aunt Carabosse to a century of slumber after pricking her finger on an enchanted spinning wheel. It's built for audiences of all ages, with magic, music, comedy and special effects. The story has had plenty of incarnations over the years, from the Disney movie to more recent versions that focus on the witch, and it's remained a pantomime staple for decades.
On the cast list, Craig Revel Horwood takes on the role of Carabosse, trading his Strictly Come Dancing judging-panel villainy for the stage. He's joined by panto favourite Andy Ford as Muddles, Joe Sims as Henchman, Jade Marvin as the Enchantress, Tom Major as Prince Peter and Naomi Pacquette as Princess Aurora.
There are accessible performances to keep in mind if you're planning a trip with someone who needs them: an Audio Described and Signed Performance on Wednesday 16 December and a Captioned Performance on Wednesday 30 December, both at 7pm. The Hippodrome itself has a bit of a panto history of its own — it reopened after a devastating fire in 1948 with Cinderella and has staged a festive panto every year since.
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Tickets range from £15 to around £70, with concessions available. The run goes from 5 December 2026 through to 3 January 2027 at the Bristol Hippodrome, St Augustine's Parade, Bristol City Centre.
