Starring national treasure Jane McDonald as Maid Marion and Palladium Panto royalty Julian Clary as Robin Hood, this spectacular show also sees the return of favourites Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers, Charlie Stemp and Rob Madge, alongside West End stars Marisha Wallace and Tosh Wanogho-Maud who make their Palladium Panto debut.

Robin Hood

The London Palladium

With Mathew Baynton (Ghosts, Horrible Histories) as Bottom, this hilarious production of Shakespeare’s captivating comedy will transport you from deepest midwinter to the most magical of midsummer nights. As four young lovers are faced with the prospect of unhappy marriage or worse, they flee the court of Athens and stumble into an enchanted forest, where the real and fairy worlds collide.

EPSG:4326

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Barbican Centre

At the dawn of the 20th century, two brothers driven by their dying father’s charge to seize the boundless opportunities of the New World set off to find their fortune. From the frenzy of the Gold Rush to the real estate boom in Florida, Sondheim and Weidman’s complex, catchy, and darkly funny tale based on the true story of the Mizner Brothers chronicles the curdling of the American Dream.

Road Show

The Gatehouse

This festive season, join Clara on a fantastical adventure where anything is possible. Embark on a journey full of colour and wonder as English National Ballet brings Nutcracker to life with over 100 dancers and musicians.

Nutcracker

London Coliseum

Mayflower Theatre

Brahms’ Symphony No 4 was subtitled ‘Tragic’, yet it is vigorous and full of warm orchestral colours. At the premiere, the Duke of Meiningen asked Brahms to encore the first and third movements – a guest remarked that Brahms conducted them with ‘even greater fire.’ 

London Symphony Orchestra: Half Six Fix – Brahms

You might already know the answers to these trivia questions, but if you don’t you almost certainly know the tunes. How did it come to be this way? Why are these tunes still everywhere today – from ringtones to soundtracks? And… are they over-rated?*

Baroquebusters

Southbank Centre

Cast and creatives examine the music of Janáček’s transfixing opera of shame, betrayal and redemption.


Insights: Jenůfa

Royal Opera House

Direct from down under, Australia’s favourite adults only Christmas comedy is coming to London, and trust us, the tree won’t be the only thing getting lit!

A Very Naughty Christmas

Southwark Playhouse Elephant

Ambition, power and political unrest explode onto the stage in The Merchant of Venice 1936, direct from selling out the RSC and London’s West End. 

Starring Tracy-Ann Oberman (EastEnders, Doctor Who) as Shylock, Shakespeare’s classic is transported to 1930s Britain in this “striking and impactful” (Guardian) new production that “makes theatre history” (The Telegraph). It is adapted by Brigid Larmour and Tracy-Ann Oberman. 

The Merchant of Venice

Trafalgar Theatre

Immerse yourself in the whimsical world of Slava’s Snowshow, a spellbinding spectacle where laughter and wonder collide. It’s a celebration that knows no bounds, uniting people of all walks of life in a shared moment of joyous folly.

Slava's SnowShow

Harold Pinter Theatre

Experience the transformative power of Johannes Brahms' Symphony No. 4 with the London Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle. This special "Half Six Fix" concert, taking place on Wednesday, 8th January 2025 at 6:30 pm at the Barbican, offers a unique, hour-long format designed to enrich your evening. Sir Simon Rattle, both conductor and presenter, will guide you through the intricacies and emotional depths of Brahms' final symphony, making this event not just a concert but an immersive journey into the heart of classical music.

The "Half Six Fix" series is celebrated for its early evening concerts that provide live introductions from the musicians and conductors, bringing the audience closer to the music and the creators behind it. With screens in the hall to enhance your experience, this concert promises an intimate exploration of Brahms' masterpiece, known for its tragic undertones yet vigorous and warm orchestral colors. From the yearning sighs of the opening movement to the solemn, fiery conclusion, Rattle and the LSO promise to draw out the composer’s unique blend of solemnity and vigor.

Tickets are available at various price points, with a booking fee applicable for online or phone transactions. For those looking to save, the Half Six Fix Season Pass offers a guaranteed Wildcard for all eight concerts in the season, alongside other discount options for groups, young people, students, and Barbican Access Members.

Booking your tickets is easy and can be done online at lso.co.uk or barbican.org.uk, by phone, or in person at the Barbican Centre. For any inquiries or further information on refunds, exchanges, and booking discounts, please contact the Barbican Box Office.

Don't miss this opportunity to kick-start your evening with the London Symphony Orchestra and Sir Simon Rattle, exploring the tragic beauty and profound depth of Brahms' Symphony No. 4.

Half Six Fix: Brahms

A E Housman is, as he understands it, finally dead. The noted Latin scholar and celebrated poet of A Shropshire Lad is being ferried across the Styx to Hades – but beyond the stygian gloom on the other side of the river he finds, to his surprise, the Oxford University of his youth. Alive with the academic debates that shaped his work and the friendships that shaped his life, this is the Oxford of Ruskin and Pater; a place still marked by the brilliance of a recently departed student called Wilde…

The Invention of Love

Hampstead Theatre

Return for a Christmas treat or experience your first opera with Puccini’s famous love story.

La Boheme

There’s magic in every moment at Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the most awarded play in history and “one of the most defining pop culture events of the decade” (Forbes). And now, the 8th Harry Potter story is bringing the magic back to London’s West End. 19 years after Harry, Ron, and Hermione saved the wizarding world, they’re back on a […]

Harry Potter And The Cursed Child

Palace Theatre London

The magic of the Grimm tales comes to life in this mischievous production. A fairy tale adventure for all.

Hansel and Gretel

Corteo

Royal Albert Hall

This is THE CHOIR OF MAN, an uplifting celebration of community and friendship where everyone is welcome! It’s a party…it’s a concert…it’s a theater experience unlike any before.

The Choir of Man

Seven Dials

Apollo Theater

2025 marks the centenary year of the legendary composer and conductor Pierre Boulez, and Sir Simon Rattle kicks off the LSO’s celebrations with Éclat. An exploration of sound itself, for Rattle it’s ‘one of Boulez’s seminal pieces, a piece where you not only conduct, but you almost compose as you go along'. 

London Symphony Orchestra/Sir Simon Rattle

This enchanting ballet by The Royal Ballet’s Founding Choreographer Frederick Ashton is a theatrical experience for all the family this Christmas. 

Cinderella

**Boulez, Benjamin, and Brahms 4: A Musical Celebration with the London Symphony Orchestra**

Join us for an enchanting evening of music as the London Symphony Orchestra presents "Boulez, Benjamin, and Brahms 4" at the Barbican on Thursday, 9 January 2025, at 7 pm. This special concert, under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle and featuring the extraordinary soprano Barbara Hannigan, promises a bewitching programme that contrasts the glittering soundscapes of Pierre Boulez, the lyrical world premiere from George Benjamin, and the grandeur of Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 4.

**Programme Highlights:**
- **Pierre Boulez:** Éclat – 8 mins
- **George Benjamin:** Interludes and Aria from Lessons in Love and Violence (World Premiere) – 15 mins
- **Interval**
- **Johannes Brahms:** Symphony No. 4 – 42 mins

**Performers:**
- **Conductor:** Sir Simon Rattle
- **Soprano:** Barbara Hannigan
- **Orchestra:** London Symphony Orchestra

The concert will conclude at approximately 8:35 pm, including a 20-minute interval. 

**Ticket Information:**
Tickets are available at various price points (£70, £55, £39, £26, £18) with a £4 booking fee per online/phone transaction. Special discounts are available, including Wildcards (£12/£16) for guaranteed entry with seat allocation on the day, multibuy discounts of up to 40%, and special rates for groups, students, and 18s-and-under.

**About the Concert:**
2025 marks the centenary year of legendary composer and conductor Pierre Boulez, and Sir Simon Rattle pays tribute with a performance of Éclat, a seminal piece exploring the essence of sound. The concert also features a world premiere from George Benjamin, created as a gift for Rattle’s 70th birthday, alongside Brahms’ tragically grand Symphony No. 4, full of melody and warm orchestral colours.

This concert is not just a performance but a celebration of musical innovation, creativity, and the enduring legacy of these composers. Join us for an unforgettable night of music with the London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican.

**Booking and Additional Information:**
For tickets and further details, please visit the LSO website or the Barbican website. You can also book by phone or in person at the Barbican Centre. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience the magic of live music with the London Symphony Orchestra.

Events in London this month

Robin Hood

LW Theatres

A Midsummer Night’s Dream...

Barbican Centre

Road Show

Upstairs At The Gatehouse

Nutcracker

English National Ballet

London Symphony Orchestra...

Barbican Centre

Baroquebusters

Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment

Insights: Jenůfa

Royal Opera House

A Very Naughty Christmas

Southwark Playhouse

The Merchant of Venice

Trafalgar Theatre

Slava's SnowShow

Harold Pinter Theatre

Half Six Fix: Brahms

London Symphony Orchestra

The Invention of Love

Hampstead Theatre

La Boheme

Royal Opera House

Harry Potter And The Curs...

Palace Theatre London

Hansel and Gretel

Royal Opera House

Corteo

Royal Albert Hall

The Choir of Man

Apollo Theater Chicago

London Symphony Orchestra...

Barbican Centre

Cinderella

Royal Opera House

Boulez, Benjamin and Brah...

London Symphony Orchestra