East Van Panto: Hercules

Theatre Replacement's East Van Panto is Vancouver's homegrown holiday pantomime and has become a sell-out tradition at the York Theatre on Commercial Drive. The 2026 show, Hercules, turns Greek myth into local satire: Hades, ruler of the underworld, is pushing a huge transit project beneath the city and plans to take over Vancouver, and his reluctant nephew Hercules has to complete his own trials to stop him from seizing Science World. Written by Pedro Chamale with Marcus Youssef, directed by Chelsea Haberlin and with music by Veda Hille, it has everything expected of a panto: audience call-and-response, a pantomime dame, songs, and jokes aimed at both kids and their parents. The run is long, from mid-November into January, with 7:00 PM evenings and 2:00 PM matinees on selected dates. There are baby-friendly matinees and VocalEye-described performances for blind and partially sighted audience members. Prices depend on the section, and the family Panto Pack is good value. Book early, since weekend matinees sell out quickly.

East Van Panto: Hercules: dates and details

• When: November 18, 2026 to January 10, 2027; evenings at 7 pm and matinees at 2 pm on select dates. Baby-friendly shows November 29 and December 13
• Where: York Theatre, 639 Commercial Drive, Vancouver
• Cost: $35-$64 by section; children 16 and under $49 on select dates; Panto Pack (2 adults + 2 kids) $250 on select dates.
• Official site: thecultch.com

Dates, hours and prices can change, so check the official site before you go. For more festive outings, see our Christmas events in Vancouver guide and the list of Christmas tree lightings.