First Look: Christmas at Backyard Cinema

Photo: Grant Walker

The much-loved Backyard Cinema has returned to London bigger, bolder, and more spectacular than ever with an all-new Christmas experience that promises to celebrate the festive season in true West End style. 

Celebrating the nation’s most loved festive films, from Elf and Home Alone to Love Actually and The Holiday, this year’s production transforms the movie-going experience into a full-scale theatrical event; a Christmas spectacular that fuses film, music, and live performance into one unforgettable celebration.

Photo: Grant Walker

Directed by acclaimed Creative Director Stuart Glover (Speakeasy UK Tour & West End featuring Strictly stars Karen and Gorka, Madagascar The Musical, The SpongeBob Musical, We Will Rock You, Footloose), this year’s production transforms the movie experience into a full-scale theatrical event; a Christmas spectacular where live music, performance, and festive nostalgia set the stage before audiences sit down to enjoy their favourite Christmas films.

Running until 31st December, Christmas at Backyard Cinema will once again transform a Victorian warehouse space, this time on Tanner Street, London Bridge Backyard’s most central London location to date and transform it into a breathtaking Enchanted Forest Theatre: a hidden world of festive wonder and performance, just moments from Borough Market, Maltby Street and Tower Bridge.

Photo: Grant Walker

This is Christmas reimagined as pure spectacle. From the moment audiences step inside, they’ll be immersed in a living, breathing festive show — free to wander through scenes of wonder brought to life by West End stars and festive acrobats.

The cast includes AJ Jenks (The Buddy Holly Story, Saturday Night Fever, Million Dollar Quartet), Joel Priest (Between the Sheets), Eve Maidwell (A Christmas Carol, Connections The Musical), Aaron Bladen (Cinderella, Sappho, The Three Little Pigs), Madeleine Wilshire (The Grimoire Diaries, Alice in Wonderland, The Vilebites), and viral sensation Matt Kent (@iammattkent – “Turning Classical Music into Pop Songs”).

Expect festive cabaret, live music, and secret theatrical moments unfolding before the film even begins. Across three spectacular spaces, guests will encounter world-class vocals, spontaneous performances, and atmospheric bars—all culminating in an unforgettable cinematic finale.

Photo: Grant Walker

In the Christmas Cabaret Room, expect performances of classic Christmas hits delivered by a talented West End cast of singers and musicians, with vibrant table service that brings the festive spirit roaring to life. Inside The Enchanted Forest, a spellbinding indoor world awaits, made up of towering trees, 20 tonnes of real bark underfoot, and surprise performances around every corner. Tucked among the trees, a cosy hidden cabin and themed bars await, creating the ultimate festive retreat.

Finally, guests are led in a joyful carol-singing procession to The Cosy Forest Cinema, a retro-style theatre where it snows before every screening, marking the perfect crescendo to this theatrical journey through Christmas magic.

Photo: Grant Walker

Creative Director Stuart Glover says:

We’re creating a truly theatrical experience, a celebration of Christmas that combines the storytelling of cinema with the joy and energy of live performance. It’s designed to surprise, delight, and completely immerse audiences in the spirit of the season.

Founder and CEO of Backyard Cinema, Dominic Davies, adds:

It’s been three years since our last Christmas show in London, and we knew we had to come back with a bang. We have a brand-new venue, a brand-new show, and a host of magical surprises waiting to be discovered. This isn’t just a return. It’s a reinvention, and we can’t wait to share it with you.

Photo: Grant Walker

This year’s film line-up features beloved Christmas favourites, each packed with nostalgia, laughter, and heart: Elf (2003) / Home Alone (1990) / Love Actually (2003) / How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) / The Holiday (2006) / The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) / The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) / Miracle on 34th Street (1994) / The Grinch (2018) / It’s a Wonderful Life (1946).

With five screenings daily from midday to 8 pm, including family-friendly matinees, Christmas at Backyard Cinema offers something for everyone - from families and couples to friends and festive work socials. Every ticket includes the full cinema experience plus an hour of live, immersive theatrical entertainment from the moment you arrive - the ultimate way to kickstart Christmas in style.

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Christmas at Backyard Cinema runs until 31st December 2025 (Closed on 25th and 26th December) at 49 Tanner Street near London Bridge. Tickets are priced from £26.50 and can be booked via backyardcinema.co.uk