What's different
- In the round. The ring is in the middle and the seats circle it, so there is no back of the stalls and nobody sits behind a pillar.
- Six rows from the ring, at most. 210 seats, close enough to hear the acrobats breathe.
- No shouting required. No "behind you", no call and response. The excitement is in the air above you, not on cue.
- Semi-relaxed, every performance. Move, chat, take a break and come back in, with front-of-house support. Ear defenders to borrow, no loud bangs.
- Shorter. CLOWN is 55 minutes straight through. Fête du Puck is 100 minutes with a 20 minute interval.
- A tent, not a theatre. Heated and step-free, with room for pushchairs. Coats come off once you are in. Outside, a covered, heated beer garden with food trucks and a Signature Brew pop-up bar.
- Real circus. Aerial, acrobatics, juggling and comedy. No animals, ever.
Which show for which age
- Ages 2+, first theatre trips, little legs: Quentin Blake's CLOWN. Daytime shows most days, 55 minutes, adults from £13. Under-2s free on a lap.
- Older kids, teens, grown-ups, the whole family: Fête du Puck. Afternoon and evening shows, 100 minutes with an interval, all ages, adults from £19.50.
- Mixed ages? Do both in a day: here is how.
Details
- Dates: 3 December 2026 to 3 January 2027.
- Where: Walthamstow Town Square, E17 7JH, beside 17&Central. Two minutes from Walthamstow Central on the Victoria line and Overground, about 20 minutes from Oxford Circus.
- Tickets: Quentin Blake's CLOWN adults from £13, Fête du Puck adults from £19.50, all fees included. Book 4 together as a Chosen Family and save more.
- The big top is heated and step-free, with pushchair room inside and an accessible toilet on site. Every performance is semi-relaxed.
- Outside: a covered, heated beer garden with East London food trucks, mulled wine and cider, and a pop-up bar from Signature Brew. No ticket needed.
- £3 tickets: 10% of all tickets are £3 for low-income families, no questions asked.
If the panto is starting to feel like a habit rather than a treat, this is the easiest swap to make this year.
