Christmas Carol Goes Wrong Returns to Wyndham’s Theatre
Christmas Chaos Comes Back to Charing Cross Road
If you’ve walked along Charing Cross Road this autumn, you’ll have noticed the festive lights going up early. Now the West End is getting its own dose of seasonal mayhem. Christmas Carol Goes Wrong is returning to Wyndham’s Theatre from 18 December 2026 until 23 January 2027, and for anyone who grew up with a Dickens book on the shelf, it’s a welcome return. The show is a comedy about the Cornley Amateur Drama Society, a group of enthusiastic but hopelessly underprepared performers who have decided to tackle A Christmas Carol. Missing actors, collapsing sets, miscommunication and a fierce row over who gets the lead all tumble out in glorious fashion. It sold out at the Apollo Theatre last year, so if you want to see it in the heart of the West End, booking early is sensible. The theatre sits a short stroll from Trafalgar Square, which makes it an easy addition to a pre-show wander. Many of us who live south of the river tend to make a night of it: a bite in Soho beforehand, a quick walk past the lions and the Christmas tree in the square, then the theatre doors. For a city that already has plenty of london attractions competing for visitors’ attention, this is one of the more reliably joyful ways to spend a winter evening.
Familiar Faces and a Cast Change to Watch
One of the strongest selling points is the cast. Original Mischief member Dave Hearn returns as Max, joined by Jay Olpin, Adam Elliott, Luke Pierre, Aein Nasseri, Dumile Sibanda and Ashley Tucker. Director Matt DiCarlo, who also directed The Comedy About Spies, has said that what he loves most about the production is the warmth beneath the chaos. That’s a useful thing to keep in mind when you watch: the jokes land hardest when you care about these characters, even as they fall apart. The role of Dennis and Robert is worth paying attention to. James Akka and Matthew Howell play the pair until 13 January, and from 14 January Mischief co-founders Jonathan Sayer and Henry Lewis take over for the final run. Sayer and Lewis co-wrote the show with Henry Shields, so the final weeks offer a rare chance to see the writers themselves on stage. If you’re hoping to catch a particular performer, check the dates against your diary. For the wider West End community, productions like this matter. Front-of-house staff, stagehands, box office teams and the cafés and pubs nearby all depend on steady audiences through the quieter weeks after the Christmas rush. A sold-out run keeps those jobs busy and keeps local businesses ticking over into January.
Planning Your Visit and What to Watch Next
Here’s what local readers need to know before booking. Christmas Carol Goes Wrong runs at Wyndham’s Theatre on Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0DA, from 18 December 2026 to 23 January 2027. If you need extra support, the production offers a captioned performance on 10 January and an audio described performance on 17 January, both at 2.30pm. Booking for accessible performances early is especially worthwhile, as these sessions tend to fill quickly. Tickets are available through the official booking link on the show’s website, and it’s wise to buy directly from official sources to avoid inflated resale prices. Some of us will also be tempted by the show’s UK tour, which is currently visiting other towns and cities. If you can’t make it to London, check the tour dates on the website. Then keep an eye on the calendar. The 14 January switch to Sayer and Lewis is likely to draw extra interest, so popular dates may sell out sooner than expected. Finally, if you’re travelling in from outside the capital, plan your journey around the Christmas-season crowds in the West End, which are dense on weekend evenings. Arriving early gives you time to find your way, grab something to eat and settle in before the curtain rises on this year’s gloriously disastrous festive production.
Source: Christmas Carol Goes Wrong: first look at the festive mayhem | West End Theatre
Fans planning to visit London this holiday season can catch this festive comedy at Wyndham’s Theatre in the West End.
