Beauty and the Beast will take centre stage in December 2026 – providing festive family fun at 1435 where people and stories meet.
The iconic story is set in a pretty French town where bookish Belle is ready to start a new chapter. But life isn’t quite the Paris-dise she’s been dreaming of and she longs to find some adventure!
Belle, her friend Jacques and his meddling mother, Betty Bon Bon, get much more than they bargained for when they find themselves trapped inside the mysterious castle of an intriguing beast.
Will true love conquer all? Will the curse of the Enchantress ever be broken? Will Betty swap her regrets for baguettes?
This absolute 'beast' of a furry-tail adventure is being brought to Chesterfield by award-winning producers Little Wolf Entertainment.
You can expect high production values with lavish scenery, costumes and effects. As a production company they are committed to strong casting and creating original scripts that are packed with laughs.
Winners of last year’s UK pantomime award for “Best Pantomime” with many nominations in this year’s forthcoming awards, Little Wolf are the only pantomime company to have held a critics choice and 5-star rating from The Stage for five consecutive years. Their productions have so far scooped 11 wins at the prestigious Panto Awards.
Morgan Brind and Alan Bowles of Little Wolf Entertainment said: “As a Derbyshire based company, we couldn’t be more proud to be working with the team to create this spectacular pantomime for this revitalised, iconic building. We hope audiences will ‘be our guests’ back in Chesterfield’s home of pantomime to share in all the magic and mayhem that makes Panto such a special part of Christmas.”
This year’s pantomime will be hosted at 1435 – bringing together entertainment and heritage under one roof, in a multi-million-pound transformation designed to delight, inform and entertain visitors.
Featuring a 625-seat theatre, expanded museum with thoughtful displays throughout the building, two bars, improved facilities and more flexible spaces, visitors will be thrilled to experience the magic of pantomime in this prestigious venue.
Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “Pantomime is our most important show because it helps introduce new audiences to the theatre and provides fantastic entertainment for families. We know it’s been an annual tradition for many locals to see our pantomime, and we can’t wait for them to experience everything 1435 has to offer whilst creating incredible memories together.”
Casting for Beauty and the Beast will be announced soon.
Beauty and the Beast will be at 1435 from 4 December 2026 until 3 January 2027. Tickets are priced from £20.50 to £27.
Accessible performances include signed, audio described, relaxed and a touch tour for blind or partially sighted customers.
Tickets can be purchased by visiting the Chesterfield Theatres and Museum website.
