York's two pantos open a day apart. Snow White runs 4 December to 3 January over 51 shows, Peter Pan from 5 December. Access dates, times and what a seat costs.

York has two full-scale pantomimes this year and they open a day apart. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is at York Theatre Royal from Friday 4 December, and The Further Adventures of Peter Pan: The Return of Captain Hook is at the Grand Opera House from Saturday 5 December. Both close on Sunday 3 January 2027. Both are on sale now.

Everything below was read off the two theatres’ own booking systems on 4 September, including the performance lists, the access dates and the prices the Grand Opera House is currently attaching to each show.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, York Theatre Royal

Fri 4 December 2026 to Sun 3 January 2027, Main House, St Leonard’s Place. The theatre lists 51 performances, written by Paul Hendy and directed by Juliet Forster, made with Evolution Productions, the team behind last year’s Sleeping Beauty.

The cast is Richard David-Caine of Horrible Histories and Swashbuckle, Robin Simpson back again as the dame, Nurse Nellie, Tommy Carmichael as Muddles, Dean Whatton as Sarge, Jenny Gayner as the Wicked Queen, Christian Mortimer as the Prince, and Marcavia McCarthy in the title role (York Theatre Royal).

Times. Evenings are at 7pm, with 5.30pm shows on many Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Matinees are 2.30pm on Saturdays, 11am and 3pm on Sundays, and 10.30am on several weekday mornings.

The dark days catch people out. There is no performance on Monday 7, Monday 14 or Friday 18 December, none on Christmas Day and none on New Year’s Day. Christmas Eve has two, at 11am and 3pm, and Boxing Day has 2.30pm and 7pm.

Access performances, all confirmed by the theatre:

Type Date Time
Relaxed Thu 10 December 5.30pm
Dementia friendly Wed 16 December 5.30pm
BSL interpreted Mon 21 December 5.30pm, interpreter Steven Conlon
Audio described Tue 29 December 1pm, touch tour at noon
Captioned Wed 30 December 2.30pm

Prices. The theatre publishes none on the show page. What it does say is that family tickets are available for every performance, with savings of up to £61, and that discounts exist for schools and groups. For access performances it asks you to book through the box office (boxoffice@yorktheatreroyal.co.uk, 01904 623568) to get the best rate and the right seats. Booking opened to members on 17 November last year and to everyone at 1pm on 22 November, so the good dates have had ten months of selling.

The Further Adventures of Peter Pan, Grand Opera House

Sat 5 December 2026 to Sun 3 January 2027, Cumberland Street, YO1 9SW. Tom Lister, of Emmerdale and 42nd Street, plays Captain Hook. Jimmy Bryant, who was Buttons in last year’s Cinderella, returns as Smee, Holly Atterton is Tinker Bell and Joe Sleight plays Peter Pan, with more casting still to be announced (ATG Tickets).

Age guidance is 3 and over. Children over 18 months need their own ticket, and babes in arms under 18 months are admitted with a free voucher that still has to be added to the booking. The show has an interval.

The relaxed performance is Wednesday 30 December, listed separately from the main run.

Prices. ATG’s own listing data on 4 September put the lowest seat at £19.24 for the four opening-weekend shows on 5 and 6 December, and £18.20 for 8, 9 and 10 December. Every one of those performances was showing as available. Prices vary by date across the run, so check the calendar rather than assuming the opening weekend rate holds through Christmas week. Group bookings of ten or more go through ATG on 020 7206 1174.

The third option, for children too small for either

York Theatre Royal also runs The Enormous Christmas Pudding from Wednesday 16 December to Thursday 31 December, recommended for ages 2 to 6 in the theatre’s own listing. It is a short, low-key alternative if a full panto with a smoke machine is a stretch.

Getting there and getting home

Both theatres are in the city centre, a few minutes apart on foot. The Grand Opera House sits on Cumberland Street off Clifford Street; York Theatre Royal is on St Leonard’s Place beside the Museum Gardens. The Grand Opera House box office opens 90 minutes before each performance.

Neither has a car park. Our parking page covers the council car parks and the evening rates, and the Christmas market page is worth reading if you are booking a matinee, because the market runs 12 November to 21 December and the city centre is a different place on those days.