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99. "The Chippy Panto"

A scene from Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves at The Theatre Chipping Norton. Picture © Geraint LewisThe Theatre Chipping Norton, which was opened in 1975 in an old Salvation Army citadel in Spring Street, hosts a wealth of events throughout the year.

But its greatest claim to fame is its world-renowned traditional family pantomime, which draws on a long history of traditional values, top-notch creative teams, and original, daring twists to make it an irreplaceable part of countless family Christmases.

Indeed, it's often been said that "Christmas just isn't Christmas until you've been to the Chippy Panto".
 
Over the years, the Chippy Panto has attracted its fair share of celebrities in the audience. Prime Minister David Cameron, who is the local MP and lives just down the road, regularly brings his family to the panto, while Amanda Holden has also been spotted in the audience.

 In 2013, Chipping Norton's panto Jack and the Giant featured in The Daily Telegraph's round-up of the UK's best pantos. The national newspaper described it as "combining all the charms of old-fashioned rusticity with snappy metropolitan wit".

The 2014 Chippy Christmas Panto was Mother Goose by Ben Crocker. This classic panto tale was a sparkling Arctic adventure, crammed full of trolls, snowmen, woolly jumpers and even the occasional moose.

More information

The Theatre
2 Spring Street
Chipping Norton
Oxfordshire
OX7 5NL
Box office 01608 642350 
www.chippingnortontheatre.co.uk
 
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