Riverside Studios Reveals Christmas and New Year Line Up of Theatre, Cinema and Events

Details have been announced for the creative programme at Riverside Studios for this Christmas season, which includes five theatre productions, festive events and cinema.

2023 Winner of the Fleur du Cap Theatre Award for Best Theatre Production for Children and Young People's The King of Broken Things offers children and adults alike an excursion into the rehabilitation of broken and discarded objects, hearts included. Touching on ancient Japanese traditions, mythology, and the power of dreams, the show serves as a poignant reminder of the magic that is everywhere. Performed by Cara Roberts, written and directed by Michael Taylor-Broderick, and with design by design by Bryan Hiles, Michael Taylor-Broderick and Darren Peens, this Theatresmiths Production presented by ASSITEJ South Africa runs 17 December 2024 - 4 January 2025, with a press night on Wednesday 18 December. Age recommendation is 10+.

Since ‘tis the season for office Christmas parties, Lydia Kavanagh presents her new blisteringly funny play, Deck The Stalls, Monday 16 December – Sunday 22 December, with a press night on Tuesday 17 December. On Thursday, 19 December, a post-show Q&A will be hosted by Terri Paddock. Performed by Laura Rea and directed by Chloe Cattin, Deck The Stalls is for anyone who has had to endure a painfully forced-fun office Christmas party.

As previously announced, coming just in time for the Christmas season, and for the first time ever, all of Dolly Parton's biggest hits from ‘Jolene' to ‘9 to 5' to ‘I Will Always Love You' can be experienced together in previously announced Here You Come Again, a rollicking and joyous new musical comedy by arrangement with Dolly Parton. After several successful productions across the United States, and a sell-out UK tour, this lively and touching musical arrives in London for a limited six-week season from 10 December (with a press night on Friday 20 December). Adapted for the UK by acclaimed British playwright Jonathan Harvey (Gimme, Gimme, Gimme and Coronation Street) and originally written by two-time Emmy award-winning comedy and songwriter Bruce Vilanch, the show stars Gabriel Barre and Tricia Paoluccio.

Plus, on Thursday 19 December, Global Mosaic Foundation presents the second London-based fundraising Cabaret's Winter Holiday edition of Sweet Sounds of the South, promoting local artists and harbouring the art of funding art by making art. Fundraising for “EVOL Creations”, the event contributes to the creation of a new musical telling the story of two artists developing a dark musical myth to pitch to producers.

Festive Events and Cinema, Interstellar 10th Anniversary

Also adding to the Christmas spirit are various events and films. Featuring the annual Festive Fun River Run along the beautiful Thames, Riverside Studios brings back their Festive Fun Day on Saturday 1 December. The event will kick off from 9am with Fulham Reach Boat Club's inaugural Festive Fun River Run – a community fundraising event for all the family in Hammersmith and Fulham. This all-ages event is perfect for everyone, whether you're running, jogging, or simply there for the festivities. In addition, there will be a market of artisan makers selling crafted ethical goods, mulled wine and warm treats, family activities, a festive film in the cinema, DJ and live music, a Christmas tree sale, and more.

Riverside Studios offers an extensive array of festive films, including a 4k restoration of The Polar Express on Sunday 1 December, multiple showings of action spectacular Die Hard Sunday 8 - Sunday 15 December, and Jon Favreau's Elf Tuesday 10 – Tuesday 17 December. Other iconic Christmas films showing at Riverside Studios include Love Actually Saturday 7 December and Saturday 14 December, Home Alone Wednesday 11 December and Wednesday 18 December,  and a 4k restoration of It's a Wonderful Life, from Saturday 21 – Tuesday 24 December.

Riverside Studios bring new addition to their 'Made at Riverside' TV strand, celebrating the long history of TV production at the Studios. The BBC Children's television series PLAY SCHOOL, created by Joy Whitby and featuring various presenters, ran from 1964 to 1988 and was filmed initially at Riverside. This episode showcase features a recently-discovered lost episode transmitted on 12 August 1965; which will be introduced by the team at Film is Fabulous who discovered it and returned it to the BBC. There will also be a screening of episodes transmitted on 28 February 1966 and 21 April 1966, following which special guests involved in the show will join the stage for a post-show Q&A.

Riverside is host to Out of Their Depth: Corruption, Scandal and Lies in the New Hollywood Season, a collection of films focussing on the social and political turmoil arising following the shocking revelations of violence perpetrated by America during the Vietnam war. Season curator Andy Willis will provide insightful recorded introductions to all films in this season. Films include The Long Goodbye (Sunday 1-Monday 2 December), The Parallax View (Sunday 8 – Monday 9 December), The Conversation (Sunday 15 December), Nights Move (Sunday 15 – Monday 16 December).

In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Christopher Nolan's magisterial space epic Interstellar, Riverside Studios will show the film Saturday 30 November – Sunday 1 December and host a special Pitchblack Playback album play of Hans Zimmer's acclaimed score on Saturday 7 December.

In addition to all the exciting events enhancing the festive atmosphere, Riverside also offers two workshops: an Introduction to Clown on Sunday 1 December, and an Introduction to Performance Arts on Sunday December 8.

After Christmas, Phizzical Productions presents Shahid Iqbal Khan's Olivier nominated play, 10 Nights, from Wednesday 8 January – Sunday 26 January 2025. “Slow-burning, smartly written” (The Stage), the story follows Yasser as he embarks on his spiritual journey when he decides to take part in itikaf. Performed in English with some Urdu and Arabic references, 10 Nights was developed through the Write To Play programme by Graeae Theatre Company and was originally co-produced by Graeae and Tamasha, in association with the Bush Theatre in 2021.

Another New Year treat includes Sex Education's Asa Butterfield's stage debut in Barney Norris's previously announced Second Best, running for four weeks only from 24 January 2025. Based on David Foenkinos' best-selling novel of the same name, “An exquisitely bittersweet comedy of life's missed opportunities", (Jonathan Coe), this playful yet poignant new comedy follows Martin, who narrowly missed out on the role of Harry Potter as a child, as he is about to become a father, prompting him to reflect on that pivotal moment of his life and ask himself what his life might have been in another world.

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