ELF: The Musical is the hilarious tale of Buddy, a young orphan boy who mistakenly crawls into Santa's bag of gifts and is transported back to the North Pole. Things don't exactly go to plan as human Buddy outgrows the toy production cabin and his toy-making abilities are so bad he has to face the truth. With Santa's permission Buddy embarks on an adventure to find his real father, discover his true identity and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas. Playing at The Lowry (Lyric Theatre), Salford Quays until January 14 (times vary).

Box office 0843-208-6005.

Ticket prices vary.

SALLY-Anne Hayward is not just a successful comedian, she is an accomplished radio presenter with stage and TV acting credentials, such as Absolutely Fabulous, warm-up on Deal or No Deal and more. Her confident persona and quick-wit have quickly made her a much sought after comedian. You can see her at the Lancaster Comedy Club, on Sunday (January 14, 8pm), at the Borough.

Box office 01524-64170 or www.lancastercomedy.co.uk.

Ticket prices vary.

PRESENTED by Little Angel Theatre, this new take on classic story Red Riding Hood and the Wolf will make you rethink this gruesome tale. There are two sides to every tale - what if the Big Bad Wolf wasn't big or bad, what if he turns out to be a gentle wolf with a broken heart ... And, Red Riding Hood, Robyn in this case, who just can't relate to this character, wants to tell you what really happened through a world of homemade make-believe. You can see this new spin on an old tale on Saturday (January 13) at 11am and 1.30pm, at The Dukes, Lancaster. Recommended age 7+ years.

Box office 01524-598500.

Tickets £7.20; concessions £5.20.

THEATRE By the Lake production The Secret Garden, tells the lonely tale of spoilt Mary Lennox. It's 1910 and Mary lives a life of luxury in India with her parents, but when an unexpected twist of fate leaves her orphaned, she is sent to live with an unknown uncle in Misselthwaite Manor on the wild Yorkshire Moors. The manor is a mysterious place full of dark corners and creepy noises, and Mary is sure there are secrets to unearth. She sets about, with the help of some unexpected friends, to discover the legend of its secret garden ... On stage at the Keswick theatre until Saturday (performances and times vary). Box office 017687-74411 or www.theatrebythelake.com.

Prices £34 - £10.

BREWERY Arts Centre is delighted to show live screening of Royal Opera House’s Rigoletto, on Tuesday (January 16, 7.15pm). The corruption of innocence is at the heart of Verdi’s potent tragedy in David McVicar’s production. The story highlights the cruelty at the heart of the court of Mantua where richly dressed courtiers engage in orgies and revelries to Verdi’s heady, spirited dances.

Box office 01539-725133.

Tickets: £18; U16s £17.

STORTH Entertainers, the Theatre on the Bay and its youth arm Kids on the Bay performs family pantomime Goldilocks and the Three Bears, at Storth Village Hall until Saturday (January 13, 7pm). Staying true (kind of) to the original story the three bears are perplexed to find that someone has been eating their porridge – who could it be?

For tickets call 015395-61565 or email storth.ents@gmail.com.

This show is now SOLD OUT.