The Georgian Theatre Royal’s much-loved annual pantomime knitting appeal is back – and this year we’re diving under the sea!
To help bring The Pantomime Adventure of The Little Mermaid to life, the Theatre is calling on knitters and crocheters to create colourful jellyfish for this year’s festive production, which runs from Friday 4 December 2026 to Saturday 9 January 2027.
And there’s no need to buy your wool! Thanks to a very generous donation, the Theatre has a large quantity of wool available free of charge for anyone who would like to take part. The wool can be collected from the Theatre Box Office on a first-come, first-served basis, along with printed copies of the knitting and crochet patterns.
The annual knitting appeal has become a much-loved part of the Theatre’s pantomime tradition. The knitted creations are thrown onto the stage at a key moment in the show, echoing the lively audience traditions of the Georgian era. Their appearance never fails to raise a cheer and is a magical moment for audiences of all ages.
The appeal began in 2011 with a call for bananas for The Adventures of Sinbad. Since then, the Theatre has received thousands of knitted and crocheted creations inspired by its pantomimes, including doughnuts, snowballs, apples, hearts, fish, ice creams and stars.
What started as a local appeal has grown into a global phenomenon, with contributions arriving from across the UK and as far afield as Australia and New Zealand. The Theatre’s Treasure Island knitting campaign even attracted national attention when it was featured on BBC’s The One Show.
This year, the Theatre is hoping to create a whole sea of jellyfish for The Pantomime Adventure of The Little Mermaid.
“We’re always amazed by the creativity and generosity of everyone who gets involved in our annual knitting appeal,” said Georgian Theatre Royal CEO Jo Mawhinney. “This year we’re going under the sea, and we can’t wait to see our stage filled with colourful jellyfish!
“Thanks to a very generous donation, we’re also delighted to be able to offer free wool this year. So if you fancy getting involved, pop into the Theatre and pick up some wool and a pattern. Whether you’re an experienced knitter or crocheter or are trying it for the first time, we’d love you to join in.”
All shapes, sizes and colours of jellyfish are welcome, so there’s plenty of opportunity to get creative.
The knitting and crochet patterns are available to download from the Theatre’s website, with printed copies also available from the Box Office.
Download the crochet and knitting patterns from our panto page.
Completed jellyfish should be dropped off at the Georgian Theatre Royal Box Office or posted to:
Georgian Theatre Royal
Victoria Road
Richmond
North Yorkshire
DL10 4DW
Please make sure your jellyfish arrives by Saturday 28 November 2026.
After the final performance, the jellyfish will be given new homes, with the Theatre donating its knitted creations to local nurseries, playgroups and charities for play, decoration and learning activities.
So pick up your needles or crochet hook and help us make a splash this Christmas!
The Pantomime Adventure of The Little Mermaid runs from Friday 4 December 2026 to Saturday 9 January 2027.
Tickets are available from the Box Office on 01748 825252 or online at www.georgiantheatreroyal.co.uk.