Productions announced for Christmas season at Riverside Studios

Eddie Izzard and the cast of RuPaul's Drag Race UK will take to the stage.

UPDATE: West End Acoustic will now be available to stream this April. The cast included Maiya Quansah-Breed, Renée Lamb, Nicholas McLean, Tyrone Huntley and Sam Tutty, and is available from 15 - 18 April. More information can be found here. 

Shows in this year's Christmas season at Riverside Studios have been announced, marking the first Winter season at the new venue. Productions confirmed will run throughout the month, with performances from 3-24 December.

Ahead of the season, interim creative director, Rachel Tackley today said, "It has been such a joy to work with all the outstanding artists and producers who have worked tirelessly to put this programme together... Come December, we want to be able to offer audiences an opportunity to forget their worries and come and have a great time."

The season begins with The Christmas Drag Race, starring five queens from the first series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK. The television queens will perform together at Riverside Studios for two nights, from 4-5 December.

Two Agatha Christie plays, Spider's Web and The Hollow will be presented as live staged readings. Cast members include Derek Jacobi, Jessica Hynes, Simon Callow,  Kathryn Drysdale, Tom Hughes, Nina Sosanya, James Dreyfus, Laura Haddock, Valentine Olukoga, Samantha Bond, Angela Griffin and Matthew Kelly.

On 11 December, audiences can enjoy a night of stand-up, complete with an all-female bill. Jayde Adams, Jen Brister and Felicity Ward will perform together, in a night hosted by Shazia Mirza.

Dominic Ferris and Martin Milnes will bring their trademark musical style to Riverside Studios on 12 and 13 December. Making their collaborative debut at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Ferris and Milnes' christmas cracker will combine comedy, music and vocals, with special guests to be announced. They'll be joined by Charlie Kristensen, the 10-year-old anti-bullying ambassador whose #CheerUpCharlie campaign went viral in the theatre community.

Christmas at the Movies will then arrive at Riverside Studios, celebrating music from iconic Christmas films. The cast includes Christine Allado, Norma Atallah and Sharon Rose, with performances from 16 - 20 December.

The season is rounded off with a one-man adaptation of Great Expectations, performed by Eddie Izzard. The solo production will see Izzard explore the tale of convicts, mystery and unrequited love, with performances from 21 - 23 December.

^{Photo credit: Eddie Izzard (Photo courtesy of Kate Morley PR)}

Article Updated: 18 March 2021