Curtains Up Leeds: Theatre Preview November 2026

The clocks have gone back an hour and Christmas has come forward a month. It must be November, so let’s see what’s on offer.

Leeds Grand Theatre

Heading the bill at Leeds Grand Theatre from 3 to 7 November, or even beheading the bill, is SIX, the smash-hit musical about the wives of Henry VIII. It is so popular that this is its fifth visit to the Grand, and ticket availability is already limited. It must be well executed. Book now, before you lose your head over it.

The following week, from 10 to 29 November, sees the arrival of the redoubtable Mrs Doubtfire. This is the musical version of the much-loved film in which Daniel, an out-of-work actor played here by Gabriel Vick, takes on the persona of a Scottish nanny so he can look after his own children following a less than amicable divorce. His ex-missus can’t have been very observant. Gradually he grows into the role and realises he might not have been the best dad in the world after all. With a three-week run, there’s no excuse for missing it.

Brace yourself for the C word.

City Varieties Music Hall

Just around the corner at Leeds City Varieties Music Hall, 27 November sees the opening of Rapunzel: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Panto, which runs all through Christmas until 10 January 2027. Not that it matters in the slightest, but this is based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale in which a pregnant woman craves rapunzel, a leafy plant that only grows locally in the garden of a sorceress. Her husband keeps popping over the wall to pinch some until he is caught red-handed (or should that be green-fingered?), and the sorceress agrees he can have all he wants as long as he hands over the baby when it is born. I won’t go any further, as the whole shebang is just an excuse for a succession of iffy jokes, great music and a lot of shouting. Brilliant. This annual feature is so successful, and deservedly so, that tickets are already in short supply, so get yours now for this chance to let your hair down.

For the full programme at Leeds Heritage Theatres, which includes the Grand and City Varieties, visit leedsheritagetheatres.com.

Leeds Playhouse

Over at Leeds Playhouse, Peanut Butter & Blueberries continues its run until 7 November. See last month’s preview for a preview. What else?

From 11 to 14 November there is Once Upon a Time in Sokoto, the world premiere of Inua Ellams’s award-winning play about an unlikely friendship between an enslaved woman and her former mistress, set against the events that led to the creation of Nigeria. Ellams wrote one of my favourite plays of all time, Barber Shop Chronicles, so I can’t wait to see it.

Back to the festive season, if it is still going ahead, because Dr Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical takes over the Quarry Theatre from 19 November to 16 January 2027. I’m not sure why anyone would celebrate that, so I’ll just have to go and find out. Being a Yorkshireman who is careful with his brass, I’d better catch it before Christmas, while there’s still a Christmas left to steal.

You can’t say Leeds Playhouse doesn’t provide an eclectic mix. On 24 and 25 November there is Woodhill from LUNG Theatre, which uses documentary theatre and dance to tell the true story of three families whose sons died at HMP Woodhill, and to highlight the wider crisis facing Britain’s prisons. It runs for 85 minutes and is recommended for ages 16 and over.

All things Playhouse can be found at leedsplayhouse.org.uk.

Carriageworks Theatre

Carriageworks begins the month from 5 to 8 November with Puppet, presented by Leeds Children’s Theatre. It’s the first stage version of David Almond’s novel, adapted by the author and his daughter, Freya, and asks what an old puppet maker who finds himself alone should do with his time. The answer, of course, is to make one last puppet from the parts left over from all the others. When it’s finished, it begins to take on a life of its own and keeps the old man company. A feel-good show for all ages

Then from 20 November to 3 January 2027, it’s panto time. This year it’s Jack and the Beanstalk, in which Jack swaps the family cow for a bag of magic beans. After giving Jack a right telling off, Dame Trott throws them out into the garden. This gets pulses racing (see what I did there?) and they grow into a giant beanstalk which, appropriately enough, houses a grumpy giant, my kind of ogre, voiced this year by none other than Sir Kevin Sinfield. Will Jack and family survive the climb to the top? No one really cares, as long as there’s a good laugh, a sing-song and a lot of shouting.

For one night only on 23 November there’s Our Maz, a new one-act comedy drama exploring teen pregnancy and emotional abuse, and a reminder that there’s far more to the Carriageworks programme than panto.

All details at carriageworkstheatre.co.uk.

So there you have your Christmas sorted. But don’t worry, should you still need more merriment, there will be more gen on how to spend a Cool Yule in next month’s instalment of Curtains Up.