A transformed Coventry theatre will help hundreds of residents see a Christmas show for free after gifting tickets to two beloved tales reimagined for the festive stage.

The Albany Theatre Trust has donated over 500 tickets to help families and individuals enjoy a trip to the theatre this Christmas as Alice in Wonderland is given a dramatic winter retelling - while a fun-filled musical rendition ofSleeping Beauty invites panto lovers to celebrate the new year.

The theatre, which completed a £3.5m redevelopment in October, donates over 1,000 tickets a year to families in need through foodbanks and other support organisations.

This year’s Christmas shows, brought to life by the Albany Theatre’s acclaimed in-house production team, will be the first to benefit from its enhanced community and arts spaces including two studio theatres, two flexible spaces, a new bar and café, a spacious foyer and a Changing Places toilet.

The new facilities are helping the venue on Albany Road expand its community initiatives and help more people of all ages engage with performing arts through classes and productions - with both festive shows celebrating talent from across Coventry, Warwickshire and the West Midlands.

Alice in Wonderland has been created by the same team behind last year’s hugely popular and critically acclaimed retelling of Oliver Twist.

Billed as a festive adventure for all ages, the show will feature familiar characters from Lewis Carroll’s beloved story in a vivid production complete with magic, mystery and plenty of laughs from Saturday 7 December to Sunday 29 December. 

The Sleeping Beauty Community Pantomime, which runs from Saturday 4 January until Sunday 12 January, promises all the fun of a traditional panto with unexpected twists and laugh-out-loud moments - while packed with talented performers from across Coventry and Warwickshire.

Tickets for both shows can be booked by visiting the venue's website.

Award-winning Director Kevin Shaw, Chief Executive at the Albany Theatre, said: “A strong sense of community runs through everything we do at the Albany Theatre and we are delighted to be welcoming hundreds of people who might otherwise have not made a trip to the theatre this year to see our festive shows.

“Our redevelopment has given us more tools at our disposal to help more people in Coventry and beyond get involved in performing arts, and we are thrilled to be able to continue our tradition of donating tickets to keep providing these opportunities to as many local people as possible.

“The set and costume designs are stunning and we have cast a brilliant team of actors. I have no doubt that Alice in Wonderland will be a magical show full of spectacle and laughter that will delight the young and the young at heart in equal measure.

“Rehearsals are already underway for this year’s community panto and I’m thoroughly enjoying working with the team to create a stunning show. Not only is it a great story but it is also packed with songs and dances as well as all the traditional panto routines - oh yes it is!

“Come along to cheer the hero and boo the baddy in a great night out for all the family.”

Claire Tyler, musical director at the Albany Theatre, said: “I’m so excited to be working on both Christmas shows at The Albany Theatre this year, creating acapella harmony arrangements of poems and Christmas songs for Alice and fun songs for Sleeping Beauty. 

“Having worked on many shows and pantomimes in the past, it’s great to be working with the creative teams at the Albany again this year, and I look forward to sharing our creations with as many people as possible.”