This Christmas, the Olivier Award winning theatre company Little Bulb (Wolf Witch Giant Fairy, CBeebie’s Christmas Pantos) will bring their critically acclaimed, audacious reimagining of The Nutcracker to the West End. Originally co-produced with the Polka Theatre, this bold and brilliantly silly version of the classic story was Olivier Award-nominated in 2025 following its hugely successful run at the Polka, where it was the best-selling Christmas show in that theatre’s 45-year history. The Nutcracker will run at St Martin’s Theatre from 10 December 2025 to 4 January 2026 with press performances on 12 December.
A magical, musical quest, Little Bulb’s The Nutcracker reimagines the story in a distinctly London setting, and is brought to ingenious theatrical life with clever cardboard creations, comic characters and a chorus of cheeky musical mice. The production is crammed full of action, laugh-out-loud comedy, and a sleigh-load of feelgood festive bangers for young theatre lovers and their families.
When two squabbling siblings receive a mysterious nutcracker from their flamboyant Aunt on Christmas Eve, it sets them off on a fantastical journey into ‘The Mousey Realm’. Can they put their differences aside and stop the evil, many-headed Mouse King before he ruins Christmas? Only time will tell…
The show is performed by Clare Beresford, Dominic Conway, Lakeisha Lynch-Stevens, Caroline Partridge and Shamira Turner. It was devised and written by Clare Beresford, Dominic Conway and Alexander Scott in collaboration with Lakeisha Lynch-Stevens, Caroline Partridge, Edith Tankus, and Shamira Turner, and directed by Alexander Scott, with set and costume design by Sam Wilde, lighting design by Joshua Pharo, and sound design by Sharon Tsang. The music is co-directed by Clare Beresford and Dominic Conway.
One of Britain’s most original and beloved theatre collectives, Little Bulb have been celebrated for their inventive, genre-defying productions that blend music, storytelling, and playful imagination. Known for their distinctive homemade aesthetic and boundless creativity, the company has delighted audiences across the UK with their signature mix of humour, heart, and hand-crafted theatrical magic. This Christmas season of The Nutcracker marks the first time the company has performed in the West End.
Little Bulb said: “We are beyond excited to bring our madcap, ‘80s action film inspired version of The Nutcracker to the iconic St Martin’s theatre for our West End debut! It’s such a beautiful and intimate space bursting with theatre history, making it the perfect place for families to come and feel festive. But, here’s a twist in the tale… our version of this Christmas classic is told by the mice! That’s right, a chorus of cheeky mice playing in the home of the world’s most famous Mousetrap! What could possibly go wrong?”
Brian Fenty said “I’m absolutely thrilled to be bringing Little Bulb’s brilliant production of The Nutcracker to the West End this Christmas. Their wildly inventive, joyously mischievous take on this beloved classic bursts with music, laughter, and heart — it is theatre at its most alive, making it a holiday treat that promises to surprise, delight, and utterly charm audiences of all ages.”
