There’s time for one more dash around the Christmas tree, and you’ll have booked your tickets for the biggest panto near you, whether it’s May McFettridge in Aladdin at the Grand Opera House, or Dan Gordon in a dress in the Waterfront’s Cinderella.

Maybe you prefer the idea of William Caulfield in curlers as Widow Twankey in the Forum’s production of Aladdin in Londonderry. Or how about Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, on stage at Derry’s Playhouse? Cinders and her Ugly Sisters are also visiting the Riverside Theatre. And you’ll find her and Prince Charming in the Braid Arts Centre in Ballymena, too.

But maybe you like your panto with a twist? Then get thee to the Marketplace Theatre in Armagh, where Michael Poynor’s festive offering is Scrooge’s Christmas. This version promises plenty of laughs, lots of music, and even a dame, in the shape of Mrs Marley.

Of course there are Christmas shows which don’t feature genies, beanstalks or Buttons — and the Lyric Theatre is staging two of them this year.

Grimes and McKee are back in the Elmwood Hall with their show for grown-ups, called Howl! It’s a (very) loose retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. We get to see the rehearsals before the show itself, and see how the off-stage tensions grow into on-stage tantrums.

The Lyric is also staging a show more suitable for younger audiences — although there is much for adults to enjoy too, in Paul Boyd’s musical The Tale of the Beauty and the Tail of the Beast.

Once again, we see a troupe of actors rehearsing a play, or two?or three. There’s no dodging the fact that the opening of this production is a little confusing, as |the actors rehearse from a variety of scripts which have become jumbled together.

As the show progresses, and the narrative knots are untangled, there are songs to be enjoyed, and a couple of really strong performances to applaud. But a couple of minutes spent explaining the story to any little ones you hope to bring would be time well spent.

For those of you who want to forget about Christmas entirely, there’s a bit of a treat at the Brian Friel drama studio at Queen’s this weekend, where Hollywood actress Geraldine Hughes (left) has been performing her award-winning play, Belfast Blues.

The star of Rocky Balboa and Gran Torino has brought her one-woman show back to her hometown for a week. In it, she tells the story of her life, and how she grew up in west Belfast during the Troubles. She portrays more than 20 characters who peopled her world as a young girl. And she explains how a teenager from Divis set her sights on Broadway, and didn’t give up until she got there.

Belfast Blues runs at the Brian Friel Theatre until Sunday evening, and Geraldine will take questions from the audience after tonight’s performance. For ticket details, contact the QFT Box Office at 20 University Square, or on 028 9097 1097 after 6pm.

grania.mcfadden@ntlworld.com