Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders reunite as the Ugly Sisters, with Julian Clary as the Fairy Godfather, in the London Palladium’s Christmas pantomime.
Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders play the Ugly Sisters in Cinderella at The London Palladium in the West End, from Saturday 5 December 2026 to Sunday 10 January 2027. Julian Clary plays the Fairy Godfather.
It is the first time in 17 years that French and Saunders have shared a West End stage. The pair made their name together on television in French and Saunders.
Charles Perrault published the version of Cinderella that pantomime follows in 1697, with the fairy godmother, the pumpkin coach and the glass slipper. The Palladium plays it in the British pantomime tradition, with innuendo written for the adults in the house.
LW Theatres, which owns the Palladium, calls it the home of pantomime for the past decade. Its pantomimes are known for their costumes, special effects and star casts.
Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers and Rob Madge return from earlier Palladium pantomimes. Dex Lee plays Prince Charming, and Hope Dawe steps into the glass slippers as Cinderella.