Jack and the Beanstalk runs at Colchester's Mercury Theatre from 21 November to 17 January. All 45 playing dates, and the BSL, captioned and relaxed shows.
The Mercury Theatre’s 2026 pantomime is Jack and the Beanstalk, running from Saturday 21 November 2026 to Sunday 17 January 2027. It has been on sale since 10am on 27 February 2026, and the box office is holding 78 performances across 45 playing dates.
Fifty-nine of those are public performances. The other 19 are schools performances, which are sold to schools rather than to the public.
Everything on this page is taken from the Mercury’s own box office system on 5 September 2026, which is the only place the full schedule exists in one piece.
The practical facts
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Show | Jack and the Beanstalk |
| Venue | Mercury Theatre, Balkerne Gate, Colchester CO1 1PT |
| First performance | Saturday 21 November 2026, 2pm |
| Last performance | Sunday 17 January 2027, 4.30pm |
| Running time | About 2 hours 30 minutes, including an interval |
| Booking opened | 27 February 2026 |
| Box office | 01206 573948 |
The production is a Mercury Theatre in-house production, not a touring show.
Every playing date
Public performances are in plain text. Schools performances are marked, and are not on general sale.
| Date | Performances |
|---|---|
| Sat 21 Nov | 2pm and 7pm |
| Wed 25 Nov | 10.15am (schools) and 2pm (schools) |
| Thu 26 Nov | 10.15am (schools) and 7pm |
| Fri 27 Nov | 12pm (schools) and 7pm |
| Sat 28 Nov | 2pm and 7pm |
| Sun 29 Nov | 12pm and 4.30pm |
| Tue 1 Dec | 10.15am (schools) |
| Wed 2 Dec | 10.15am (schools) and 2pm (schools) |
| Thu 3 Dec | 10.15am (schools, relaxed) and 2pm (schools) |
| Fri 4 Dec | 12pm (schools) and 7pm (BSL) |
| Sat 5 Dec | 2pm (audio described, touch tour) and 7pm (captioned) |
| Sun 6 Dec | 12pm and 4.30pm |
| Tue 8 Dec | 10.15am (schools) |
| Wed 9 Dec | 10.15am (schools) and 2pm (schools) |
| Thu 10 Dec | 10.15am (schools) and 2pm (schools) |
| Fri 11 Dec | 10.15am (schools) and 7pm |
| Sat 12 Dec | 2pm and 7pm |
| Sun 13 Dec | 12pm and 4.30pm |
| Tue 15 Dec | 10.15am (schools) |
| Wed 16 Dec | 10.15am (schools) and 2pm (schools) |
| Fri 18 Dec | 7pm |
| Sat 19 Dec | 2pm and 7pm |
| Sun 20 Dec | 12pm and 4.30pm |
| Tue 22 Dec | 2pm and 7pm |
| Wed 23 Dec | 2pm and 7pm |
| Thu 24 Dec | 12pm and 4.30pm |
| Sun 27 Dec | 12pm and 4.30pm |
| Tue 29 Dec | 2pm and 7pm |
| Wed 30 Dec | 2pm and 7pm |
| Thu 31 Dec | 12pm and 4.30pm |
| Fri 1 Jan | 2pm and 7pm |
| Sat 2 Jan | 2pm and 7pm |
| Sun 3 Jan | 12pm and 4.30pm |
| Tue 5 Jan | 7.30pm |
| Wed 6 Jan | 7.30pm |
| Thu 7 Jan | 7.30pm |
| Fri 8 Jan | 7.30pm |
| Sat 9 Jan | 2pm and 7.30pm (BSL) |
| Sun 10 Jan | 12pm (relaxed, BSL) and 4.30pm |
| Tue 12 Jan | 7.30pm |
| Wed 13 Jan | 7.30pm |
| Thu 14 Jan | 7.30pm |
| Fri 15 Jan | 7.30pm |
| Sat 16 Jan | 2pm (captioned) and 7pm (audio described, touch tour) |
| Sun 17 Jan | 12pm and 4.30pm |
Dark days worth knowing
There is no performance on Christmas Day or Boxing Day. The theatre is dark on every Monday through the run, and also on Thursday 17 December.
The 24 December shows are at 12pm and 4.30pm, which is earlier than the usual evening slot. New Year’s Day has a full pair, 2pm and 7pm.
From 5 January the evening start moves from 7pm to 7.30pm, and weekday matinees stop.
Accessible performances
This is the part most listings leave out. Seven public performances carry an access provision, and one schools performance does.
| Provision | Public performances |
|---|---|
| British Sign Language | Fri 4 Dec 7pm, Sat 9 Jan 7.30pm, Sun 10 Jan 12pm |
| Captioned | Sat 5 Dec 7pm, Sat 16 Jan 2pm |
| Audio described, with a touch tour | Sat 5 Dec 2pm, Sat 16 Jan 7pm |
| Relaxed | Sun 10 Jan 12pm |
The Sunday 10 January midday performance is both relaxed and BSL interpreted, which is the single most accessible show in the run.
There is one further relaxed performance, at 10.15am on Thursday 3 December, but it is a schools performance and not on public sale.
What we cannot tell you
Ticket prices. The Mercury’s public website blocks automated requests, and its box office system does not expose price bands without a key. The schedule above comes from the parts of the system that are open. Six different price lists are in use across the run, which means at least six price bands, but we cannot read what any of them charges. Ring 01206 573948 or check the theatre’s own booking pages for the current price.
One cost that is visible. The booking system records a £2.50 per-ticket levy on this production. Whether that is inside or on top of the advertised price is not something we can determine from outside, so check the total before you confirm.
Casting. The box office record carries no cast list. Nothing about the cast on this page, because we have not been able to verify it from the theatre.
The other Mercury Christmas show
The Mercury Studio runs a separate show for younger children over the same period: The Boy That Got Turned Into A Snowman, from Saturday 5 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027, 59 performances. It is billed for ages 3 and up and runs about an hour with no interval. Its per-ticket levy is £1.50.
Santa’s Grotto also returns at the theatre from 5 to 24 December.
Getting there and parking
The Mercury is on Balkerne Gate, a short walk from the top of the High Street and close to the Jumbo water tower. The theatre sells pre-paid all-day parking and accessible parking through its own box office, which is worth checking before you pay a public car park.
If you are using a council car park, St Mary’s multi-storey is the nearest large one, at 577 spaces with a 2.06 metre height limit. Its evening rate is £2.40 for entry after 6pm, and its entrance lane closes at 10pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, though you can always drive out.
See our parking in Colchester page for the full tariffs, and Colchester roadworks and travel for anything on the routes in.
Note that the panto’s opening night, Saturday 21 November, falls a week after the Christmas lights switch-on, and its 6 December shows fall on Christmas market day, when the High Street is busiest.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Mercury Theatre pantomime in 2026?
Jack and the Beanstalk, running from Saturday 21 November 2026 to Sunday 17 January 2027. It is a Mercury Theatre in-house production and runs about two and a half hours including the interval.
Is there a panto on Christmas Day at the Mercury Theatre?
No. There is no performance on Christmas Day or Boxing Day. Christmas Eve has two shows, at 12pm and 4.30pm, both earlier than the usual evening slot.
Which Mercury panto performances are BSL interpreted?
Three: Friday 4 December at 7pm, Saturday 9 January at 7.30pm, and Sunday 10 January at 12pm. The 10 January show is also the relaxed performance.
When is the relaxed performance of Jack and the Beanstalk?
Sunday 10 January 2027 at 12pm, which is also BSL interpreted. A second relaxed show on 3 December is a schools performance and not on public sale.
Sources
- Mercury Theatre box office schedule for Jack and the Beanstalk, read from its public booking system on 5 September 2026
- InColchester, Christmas in Colchester
- Colchester City Council, St Mary’s car park
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