Theatre Nights: A feast of shows to view in 2025

Well, it’s a whole new year ahead of us, and there is such a glorious array of shows, concerts, and events to look forward to in our theatres that you are going to have to spend the rest of this festive season planning your visits for the months ahead.

The pantomimes, of course, continue for a little while yet – Red Riding Hood at Everyman until Sunday, January 12, and Cinderella at the Opera House until Sunday, January 19. Both packed full of fun and laughter, both full of today’s tricks but still maintaining that great traditional feel.

Once those hard-working panto casts have taken their final bow, however, the fun doesn’t end. The Opera House has put together a packed programme for spring, summer and autumn. We will of course keep you posted here, week by week, but here are just a few highlights for 2025 to get you excited.

Who doesn’t love that delightful operetta Die Fledermaus, with its sparkling tale of marital misdemeanours, magical disguises, and unlikely misunderstandings?

Irish National Opera is bringing it to the Opera House on February 4 (and they will be here again on June 7 with L’elisir d’Amore).

By way of contrast, the Bay City Rollers perform on February 16, and we have a whole week of the marvellous Cork Proms in late April. That most popular of rock n roll musicals. The Rocky Horror Show, comes to town in August, and there will be a chance to meet that incredible actress Miriam Margoyles in her one-woman show in October. And so much more besides.

Log on and check the whole year out for yourselves, at www.corkoperahouse.ie or call 021 427 0022 for all shows.

Fitted in between those final panto performances at Everyman is the big CADA show on January 8, when the talented students of that academy bring all their energy to staging Red In The Woods. As you would expect from CADA, this is going to be a spectacular display of dance, music, song, and jokes, with wonderful sets and spectacular costumes, but it is on for that one night only, and, given the number of proud parents and relatives who want to be there, tickets are much in demand.

Two big music events in January at Everyman are Qween, featuring the Dublin Gospel Choir, on the 24th, and Dezperado, a tribute to the Eagles, on the 25th.

The ever-popular Sunday Songbook returns on February 9 with The Jim Reeves Story, and drama is well represented with three short comedies by Sean O’Casey in March. There is another opportunity to experience the Faulty Towers Dining Experience in April, a welcome return by Reggie from the Blackrock Road in May, and two major pieces in August – first Mother Of All The Behans, and then The Girl On The Train.

You can book for any or all of these ahead, and in some cases you might be well advised so to do, as demand for tickets will be high. Call 021 450 1673 or log onto www.everymancork.com.

Did you get to Cú Chulainn agus an Chocolate Factory at the Cork Arts Theatre before Christmas? Isn’t it great to have bilingual panto? There is plenty more entertainment coming up there – January 15 to 18 brings Little Gem, a moving tale of three generations of north Dublin women facing up to life’s issues, while Little John Nee is there from January 22 to 25 with Zeigeist Jukebox.

Pakie O’Callaghan celebrates the storytelling of Eamon Kelly there from January 31-February 1, and March is the time to look forward to with that classic Friel play, Philadelphia Here I Come from the LongStory Theatre Group, from the 19th to the 22nd. And the rest of the year is just as packed with good things.

Call 021 450 5624 or see www.corkartstheatre.com.

May 2025 be good to all of us, and may you spend many happy nights at our great theatres in the months ahead!