Sleeping Beauty

Bromley panto 2026: Sleeping Beauty at the Churchill Theatre

Vernon Kay returns to pantomime as Billy in Sleeping Beauty, the Christmas 2026 pantomime at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley, running from Saturday 5 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027. He is joined by panto favourite Andrew Agnew, Balamory's PC Plum, as Dame Bella More. The Churchill Theatre's spectacular production is produced by Imagine Theatre, with Stagecoach Performing Arts as official production sponsor.

The story and what to expect

When the wicked fairy Carabosse lays an evil curse, the princess pricks her finger on a spinning wheel and falls into an enchanted sleep. Can anyone rescue her from the magical slumber before it is too late? Princess Aurora, her friends and some fabulously silly characters battle the forces of evil and discover the true power of love, laughter and a happily ever after. Expect dazzling costumes, scenery, comedy and songs, and plenty of chances to join in: shouting out is very much part of the fun.

Cast

Vernon Kay plays Billy, the comedy lead, on his return to pantomime. Imagine Theatre bills him as a radio and TV favourite.

Andrew Agnew plays the dame, Dame Bella More. A panto favourite, he is best known to families as PC Plum in Balamory.

Rebekah Lowings plays the wicked fairy Carabosse and Sophie Naglik plays Princess Aurora. James Bisp plays Prince Stephen and Jayme-Lee Zanoncelli plays Fairy Florence. Imagine Theatre describes all four as West End performers.

Dates and times

The opening performance is on Saturday 5 December 2026 at 1pm and the run ends on Sunday 3 January 2027. The closing weekend has performances at 1pm and 5pm on both Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 January. Schools performances are at 1.30pm on Wednesday 9, Thursday 10, Friday 11, Tuesday 15, Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 December. Accessible performances are scheduled at 11am, 1.30pm, 5.30pm and 7pm, and other times vary by day.

Who is it for (age guidance and running time)

Imagine Theatre recommends Sleeping Beauty for ages 3 and up, and it is designed for children, parents, grandparents and everyone in between. The show runs for about 125 minutes, including a 20 minute interval. Photos are not allowed during the performance, but there is a moment after the song sheet when photos and video are welcome. Family tickets for four, which need at least two under 16s, are valid on Standard performances.

Accessible and relaxed performances

There are two relaxed performances: Saturday 12 December at 11am, which Imagine Theatre also lists as a chilled performance, and Tuesday 15 December at 1.30pm. A signed performance is on Wednesday 9 December at 7pm and an audio described performance on Friday 11 December at 5.30pm. A captioned performance follows on Thursday 17 December at 5.30pm.

Getting to the Churchill Theatre

The Churchill Theatre is in the heart of Bromley, with plenty of restaurants nearby. Bromley South station is roughly a 5 minute walk away and Bromley North station roughly 10 minutes. Many bus routes stop at Market Square or the Glades Shopping Centre, both around 5 to 10 minutes' walk from the theatre. There is no car park attached to the theatre, but the Tetty Way and Churchill Way car parks are nearby and include Blue Badge spaces. Drinks, snacks and interval ice creams are on sale inside.