Panto season in Cork runs from late November right through to the middle of January. This Christmas there are four pantos to choose from in the city: two big family shows at Cork Opera House and The Everyman, and two strictly over 18s shows for a night out with friends or the office party.
Cork pantos 2026 at a glance
| Panto | Venue | Dates | Tickets | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beauty and the Beast | Cork Opera House | 25 Nov 2026 to 17 Jan 2027 | €30 to €45, family pass from €165 | All ages |
| Jack and the Beanstalk | The Everyman | 3 Dec 2026 to 10 Jan 2027 | €38.50, previews €21, family of four €138 | All ages |
| Mary Coffins: The Adult Panto | The Kino, Washington Street West | 27 Nov 2026 to 9 Jan 2027, 8pm | €22 to €25 | Strictly over 18s |
| The Improv Panto | Cork Opera House | 4 Dec 2026 to 6 Jan 2027, 10:30pm | €25 | Strictly over 18s |
Family pantos in Cork
Beauty and the Beast at Cork Opera House
The Opera House and Neville Jewellers panto is the biggest show of the Cork Christmas season, made by the team behind last year’s Aladdin. Belle, Nanny Nellie and a crew of talking furniture take over the stage from 25 November with big sets, live music and lots of comedy. Weekend matinees sell out first, and several December dates were already gone by early November.
Beauty and the Beast: dates, prices and cheaper nights
Jack and the Beanstalk at The Everyman
The Everyman panto, made with CADA and directed by Catherine Mahon-Buckley, is the more traditional of the two family shows and a firm favourite with Cork families. Fionula Linehan plays Dame Peggy Twomey, with Conor O’Cuinn as Jack. It opens on 3 December, with €21 previews and a €138 family of four ticket.
Jack and the Beanstalk: cast, dates and prices
Adult pantos in Cork
Mary Coffins: The Adult Panto at The Kino
Chattyboo Productions are back for their 18th Christmas, and the adult panto has moved to a new venue, The Kino on Washington Street West. This year a vampire nanny called Mary Coffins arrives at a house in Cork, and things go downhill from there. Shows are at 8pm and tickets are €22 to €25.
Mary Coffins: the adult panto at The Kino
The Improv Panto at Cork Opera House
A fully improvised panto where the audience picks the story and the roles, with Dominic MacHale of The Young Offenders in the cast. It plays late, at 10:30pm, on Friday and Saturday nights in December plus a few dates over Christmas.
The Improv Panto: dates and group prices
Getting the best value
Both family pantos have cheaper nights. At the Opera House, early and late run dates such as 25 and 26 November and 12 and 13 January are €30. At The Everyman, previews are €21 and the Terrific Thursday and Fantastic Friday nights are €26. Both theatres also run relaxed performances for autistic audiences and people with sensory differences, and The Everyman has sign language and audio described shows. Details are on each panto’s page.
For everything else on in the city over Christmas, from gigs to film and theatre, keep an eye on What’s On In Cork.