Milton Keynes Panto: Sleeping Beauty From 5 December

Milton Keynes Theatre’s pantomime this year is Sleeping Beauty, running from Saturday 5 December 2026 to Sunday 10 January 2027, with Alexandra Burke as the wicked Carabosse. Tickets are already on sale. The cast is confirmed, the accessible performance dates are confirmed, and the theatre has not published a price on the show page.

The dates

The run is Sat 5 Dec 2026 to Sun 10 Jan 2027 at Milton Keynes Theatre, 500 Marlborough Gate, Central Milton Keynes, MK9 3NZ. Opening night is Saturday 5 December. (ATG Tickets)

There is no single fixed performance time across the run. The theatre puts matinees and evening shows on different days through December and the first week of January, so check the date you want on the booking calendar rather than assuming a 7pm start. The box office opens 90 minutes before each performance.

Who is in it

• Alexandra Burke as Carabosse, the wicked aunt.
• Richard Cadell, with Sooty and Sweep, as the comic lead.
• Ceri Dupree as Queen Passionella, the dame.
• Christopher Biggins as the Diva of Dreams.

(ATG Tickets)

One small inconsistency to be aware of if you are comparing listings. The theatre’s own page now names Richard Cadell’s character Joey the Jester, while earlier coverage of the casting announcement called him Muddles. It is the same performer in the same role, and the theatre’s listing is the current version.

The production is by Crossroads Pantomimes, led by Michael Harrison, the same company behind last season’s Goldilocks and the Three Bears at the theatre. Emma Sullivan is theatre director. (MKFM, panto announcement)

Accessible performances, all four confirmed

These were published with the show announcement and are the dates to book if you need them, because they sell out first.

The relaxed performance is described by the theatre as welcoming anyone who would like to see the panto in a less formal atmosphere. (MKFM, panto announcement)

What it costs

The theatre does not publish a price on the Sleeping Beauty show page. It asks you to check the calendar for full performance information, where the price depends on the date, the time and the seat.

A Milton Keynes listings site quotes tickets “from around £17.50 (plus booking fee)”, but that is a third-party figure on a page carrying affiliate links, not the theatre’s own, so treat it as an indication rather than a quoted price. (Visit Milton Keynes)

Group bookings of ten or more are handled separately, through an online request form or on 020 7206 1174. (ATG Tickets)

Other Christmas shows in Milton Keynes

Milton Keynes Theatre’s is the only pantomime in the city with a published run for the 2026/27 season that we could verify. Two other festive fixtures are confirmed:

• The Snowman at centre:mk, 20 November to 24 December 2026. Santa’s grotto in Middleton Hall runs as a live interpretation of The Snowman, with actors playing the characters, a biscuit-decorating craft session and a one-to-one family meeting with Santa in his woodland cabin. £16 a child, £6.50 an adult, £5 for a baby under one, with a 10 per cent booking fee added to each. The baby ticket excludes the craft session and the gift and is bookable only on selected weekdays through the customer service centre. (Destination Milton Keynes, 4 September 2026)
• Dickens of a Christmas, Olney, on the first Sunday in December, 10am to 4pm, with costumed stallholders, craft fairs at The Olney Centre and the Carlton House Club, a street organ, street entertainers and Olney Brass Band. (Olney Town Council)

The Stables at Wavendon programmes a family show over Christmas most years. Its 2026/27 title had not surfaced in a form we could verify when this page was written, so check stables.org or the box office on 01908 280800.

Frequently asked questions

What is the pantomime at Milton Keynes Theatre in 2026?

Sleeping Beauty, running Saturday 5 December 2026 to Sunday 10 January 2027, produced by Crossroads Pantomimes.

Who is starring in the Milton Keynes panto?

Alexandra Burke as Carabosse, Richard Cadell with Sooty and Sweep, Ceri Dupree as Queen Passionella and Christopher Biggins as the Diva of Dreams.

How much are Milton Keynes panto tickets?

The theatre has not published a price on the show page. Prices vary by date, time and seat, and you have to open the booking calendar to see them. Groups of ten or more book separately.

Is there a relaxed performance of the Milton Keynes panto?

Yes. Wednesday 6 January at 1pm. There is also an audio-described performance on Saturday 19 December at 2.30pm, a signed performance on Tuesday 29 December at 7pm and a captioned performance on Wednesday 6 January at 7pm.

Where is Milton Keynes Theatre?

500 Marlborough Gate, Central Milton Keynes, MK9 3NZ, in the Theatre District at the eastern end of the city centre, a walk from Milton Keynes Central station.

Is the panto on over Christmas week?

The run covers Christmas and New Year, including a signed performance on Tuesday 29 December. Check the booking calendar for which days have performances, because they are not uniform.

Getting there and parking

Milton Keynes Theatre sits in the Theatre District, with the multi-storey car parks off Marlborough Gate and Avebury Boulevard closest.

The charge that catches people out: Central Milton Keynes parking is payable 7am to 6pm every day of the week, Sundays included, and the only exceptions in the year are Christmas Day and Easter Sunday. A Sunday matinee is inside the paid window. Our parking in Milton Keynes page has the purple, red and blue tariffs and the excuses the council will not accept.

If you are driving in from the towns, check Milton Keynes roadworks and travel first, and see things to do in Milton Keynes if you are making a day of it.

What is still to be confirmed