Time Out No. #87 | Tuesday 7 December 2021

Don’t get caught out this festive season and end up trapped in a packed pub with some clown in the corner dropping his selection of limp seasonal bangers. There are some truly great Xmas parties in town, from Boiler Room’s Barbican takeover, to Soul City at the Jazz Cafe, plus inevitable novelty offerings from the likes of ballpit Ballie Ballerson. While you’re about it, get booking for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day too.

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Theatreland is back, with sequins and bells on!

Here's my totally impartial guide to the best, the biggest, the most immersive, the Christmassiest and the cheapest theatre in town right now.

Andrzej Lukowski

Theatre editor

@MrLukowski

There are well over a hundred shows playing in London at any given time, and hundreds more in the pipeline. But don’t worry: we’ve broken it down for you. Whether you want a simple list of the biggest shows coming up, a round-up of immersive theatre shows, Shakespeare plays, or even pantomimes, we have you covered.

We’ve done them since we launched and we’re not going to stop any time soon. Theatre-going in London can be expensive and confusing, and involves a bewildering amount of choices. So we bring you impartial reviews of the biggest, newest and most talked about London theatre shows that you can currently see.

Because who doesn’t love a bargain? From great deals on new shows that are yet to open to terrific bargains on West End long-runners, we’ve got it all covered. Why not check out our bestselling tickets and current handpicked offers of Christmas promotion for a different surprise every day?

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Do you remember when you’d nip over to a foreign metropolis and just... wander? You’d order an espresso at a zinc bar, you’d hit up some museums, you’d order the local liqueur, you might even go out-out. Above all, you’d be spontaneous. Omicron permitting, in 2022, touch wood, we reckon the city break will make its long-awaited comeback. So if you’re planning a holiday and need some pointing in the right direction? We consulted our local experts in major cities across the continent to name the lesser-known places we should be planning a trip to next year.

‘Stop fat-shaming Santa.’

Overheard something weird and wonderful? Tweet us and you might see it next time!

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This month, we're revealing the best of the city over this year. It's a celebration of the businesses, people and places that shone bright and helped get us through 2021. Have a read right here.

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