Christmas at the Movies at Mayflower Theatre

If you are already thinking about how to fill your diary once the nights properly draw in, the Mayflower Theatre has a festive one lined up. Christmas at the Movies lands on Sunday 29 November at 7pm, and it is exactly what the title promises: the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra bringing a run of the most recognisable film scores to the stage, with a programme built around the Christmas season. Pete Harrison conducts the evening, and the bill reads like a trip through a family movie collection, mixing genuine classics with the newer titles that have become part of the holiday routine.

The setlist is the real draw here, and it is broad enough to keep everyone happy. You get the big, sweeping moments from It's a Wonderful Life, The Polar Express and White Christmas, alongside the more modern favourites like Harry Potter, Frozen, Elf and The Chronicles of Narnia. There is also room for the slightly more mischievous side of Christmas cinema, with Gremlins and Home Alone in the mix, plus E.T. and a Love Actually suite. It is the kind of programme where you will recognise almost every piece the moment it starts, which is half the fun of a night like this.

In terms of the practical side, it is a straightforward evening. The concert runs for about two hours, so it is a manageable length for families, and it takes place at the Mayflower Theatre on Commercial Road, which has street-level access to the foyer and Box Office through the main entrance. Tickets start at £29.50, though one source lists them from £36.50, so it is worth checking the latest prices before you commit. A couple of things to be aware of: there are no discounts available for this event, under-2s are not admitted, and the performance may use haze effects, which is worth knowing if anyone in your party is sensitive to it.

If you need to sort anything out before you book, the Box Office is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 5pm, and you can also reach the organisers by email at hello@bsorchestra.co.uk or on 01202 669925. It is also worth remembering that the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra is a registered charity, so the ticket money goes towards supporting their wider work.

As a whole, it is a low-effort, high-reward way to kick off the season. There is something about hearing these scores played live by a full orchestra that does not quite translate from a living room speaker, and with a programme that jumps from the warmth of White Christmas to the mischief of Gremlins, it is hard to see anyone walking away disappointed. Whether you are taking the kids or just want an excuse to hear some of your favourite film music in person, it is a solid choice for a Sunday evening in late November. The Mayflower has a habit of filling up for its festive shows, so if this is the one you want, it is worth sorting sooner rather than later.