Christmas at Unity Theatre

Liverpool’s combined-arts venue, Unity Theatre, has embarked on its Christmas programme, a counterpoint to mainstream shows that champions diverse arts and under-represented voices. 

Queer and non-binary artists shine brightly at Unity this Christmas, with a variety of shows featuring comedy, acrobatics, drag and puppetry. Unity’s Christmas Cabaret returns on December 19 & 20, while on December 17 & 18, Merseyside Kings’ Merry Manarchy is a festive drag-king cabaret.

The theatre also spotlights the work of its associate company, RAWD, which creates space in which disabled artists can thrive. A RAWD festive special, To Be Near A Shooting Star (tonight until Monday, various times), is a sparkly candy-cane story in which Mary and Joseph go on an important quest. Expect tinsel, triumphs and three not-so-wise kings in this

twist on a Christmas classic.

A fitting finale for the 2025 season comes in the form of Sleep Can Wait! - a high-energy journey through myths, legends, and imagination curated by Unity Theatre and Liverpool-based Tmesis Theatre. 

The jewel in the Unity's festive crown, this physical theatre show is packed with fun and laughs. The show runs from December 12-23 and has physicality and minimal dialogue, so perfect for families, including those with neurodiverse members.

Unity has been behaving radically onstage since the 1930s, with its roots in The Unity Theatre movement - a national theatrical initiative that produced politically left-wing works for working-class audiences. Throughout the 1940s-1960s, Unity was radical and experimental, staging that challenged conventional theatre.

Today the theatre is the only surviving member of that movement, and the organisation continues its mission: investing in local work, emerging artists and theatre companies.

More info and tickets here