A visit to the theatre is always fun at Christmas but if you want to make sure of getting the date you want, it’s time to book your show.

Some productions have taken place, while others are under way.

The festive season was kicked off last month by Dorchester Amateur Dramatics Society, which performed Camelot the Pantomime in the village, followed by Studio Theatre Club’s Humbug, a new musical rendition of A Christmas Carol, at the Unicorn Theatre, Abingdon.

There is another version of Charles Dickens’s tale at the Unicorn on Monday, December 21, with Miss Scrooge. The theatre will also stage a panto, Santa in Space, by Abingdon Drama Club, from January 15-23.

Tickets for this are £8 and £10, or £7 and £8.50 for Miss Scrooge, available from The Bookstore in Abingdon precinct or 0845 4636638.

AmEgos Theatre’s production of Michael Frayn’s farce Noises Off begins today at King Alfred’s Academy theatre, Wantage, and runs until Saturday. Tickets are £8-£12 from Umami Deli in Wantage, Hare in the Woods Deli in Faringdon or wegottickets.com.

Aladdin’s run at Oxford Playhouse got under way last week and runs until Sunday, January 10.

Join Widow Twankey, Aladdin, Princess Perfect Rose, Wishee Washee the Dog and Pee King the Duck on their adventures in the ancient city of Ox-A-For. It promises a magic carpet ride of non-stop panto thrills, spills and downright silliness.

Tickets are £15 to £26. Call 01865 305305 or see oxfordplayhouse.com.

Robin Hood has begun its run at The Theatre, Chipping Norton, in what is the venue’s 42nd year of traditional panto. The cast of characters accompanying the man in green, include old friend Friar Tuck and the wicked Sheriff of Nottingham, with a few less familiar faces – Little Joan, a wandering minstrel and a company of singing rabbits.

Robin Hood is on at The Theatre until January 10.

For tickets, call 01608 642350 or see chippingnortontheatre.com.

Traditional panto is also delivered in Jack and the Beanstalk at Kenton Theatre, Henley, which runs from December 17 to 27.

Join Jack on his adventure as he climbs the beanstalk to defeat the wicked giant, save his beloved Jill and bring a happy ever after to all in Ye Olde Henley Town. Tickets are £15-£20 from 01491 575698 or kentontheatre.co.uk.

The Sinodun Players will be tackling Rapunzel next month.

The amateur group will stage its annual pantomime at Corn Exchange, Wallingford, on Friday, January 15 and 16, and January 19-23.

Audiences can boo, hiss, laugh, sing, clap, sneeze, quack and pat their heads while rubbing their tummies at the antics of good and bad witches, silly gnomes, courtiers and fairies. Audiences will meet the lovely Rapunzel and her dashing prince, plus Matilda, the theatre cleaner. Tickets are £12 for adults, £6 for under 16s. Call 01491 825000.

For ages three-plus, Cornerstone Arts Centre’s Christmas show presented by Tall Stories is the magical tale The Snow Dragon.

Billy is a spoilt young goat whose parents give him everything he wants. The night the legendary Snow Dragon is meant to bring goodies, he bumps into a pack of hungry wolves in the forest. How will he escape and has he been naughty or nice?

The Snow Dragon runs at the Cornerstone, Didcot, from December 19-24. Tickets are £7-£12.50. Call 01235 515144 or see cornerstone-arts.org

Traditionally, the New Theatre, Oxford, goes in for a big musical, rather than a pantomime for its Christmas show and this year it will stage Annie.

The show will star Jodie Prenger, a former winner of BBC TV talent show I’d Do Anything.

The ever-popular tale focuses on orphan Annie whose luck changes when she is chosen to spend Christmas at the home of a billionaire.

It includes the unforgettable songs Hard Knock Life, I Don’t Need Anything But You and Tomorrow.

Annie runs at the New Theatre from December 15 to January 3.

Tickets are £12.50 to £43.50, Call 0844 8713020 or see atgtickets.com/oxford.