Peter Pan has flown into the Barn Theatre this Christmas for a musical adaptation of JM Barrie’s beloved book.

The magical Christmas show follows in the best traditions of the venue by including many new and talented young actors alongside the well-loved ’oldies’. The story follows the traditional tale of Peter Pan and his battles with the nasty Captain Hook and his band of ruthless pirates. Along the way he meets up with the Darling family children, who accompany him on an adventure of a lifetime as they join the Lost Boys in Neverland.

With a company of 34 actors, 24 of whom are under 18 years old, this is one of the largest casts in the Barn’s recent history, and presented director Darren Barsby with the challenge of how to fit the all singing and dancing ensemble on to the 20ft stage, with enough room for stage fights and special effects.

He says: ”We wanted to do something a little different and have used the best of modern technology to bring this traditional story to the stage. It needs to be magical and spectacular and I think we’ve pulled it off.”

Barn Theatre, Handside Lane, Welwyn Garden City, until December 31. Details: 01707 324300, barntheatre.co.uk

Over at Trestle Arts Base it is almost time for a young girl to go for a walk through the woods. Woods where a hungry wolf lives.

It sounds like a recipe for disaster, but Red Riding Hood’s not scared… well maybe she’s a little bit scared.

Horse + Bamboo present this gorgeously rendered re-telling of the classic girl-and-the-wolf tale Red Riding Hood. Exquisite visuals blend with pantomime-style silliness and spooky moments to create an enchanting piece of theatre. Ideal for all ages over four years.

Trestle Arts Base, Russet Drive, St Albans, Saturday, December 21 and Sunday, December 22, 11.30am and 2.30pm. Details: 01727 850950, trestle.org.uk

James Bond, The Little Mermaid, Superman and the Pirates of the Caribbean will be helping St Albans Symphony Orchestra to celebrate the start of 2014 with a musical trip to the movies.

The orchestra’s traditional New Year’s Day family concert will be dedicated to favourite film scores including music from blockbusters such as Jurassic Park, Harry Potter, Schindler’s List and Titanic.

On a more classical note, the programme also features the opening to Richard Strauss’s tone poem Also Sprach Zarathustra and Johann Strauss II’s Blue Danube Waltz – both famously used by the late St Albans-based director Stanley Kubrick in his masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Principal conductor, Bjorn Bantock says: ”This is the first time we have performed a New Year programme entirely made up of film music and we know it’s going to be fantastic fun.

”The scores we have chosen by composers of the calibre of John Williams and Hans Zimmer are wildly exciting and packed with themes that everyone knows and loves. But it also happens to be some of the most demanding music that the orchestra has ever chosen to perform.”

Compering the concert will be film music expert and arranger, Alasdair Malloy, who is also the principal percussionist with the BBC Concert Orchestra. The programme features several of his arrangements for large orchestra including music from Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark.

St Albans Abbey, St Albans, Wednesday, January 1, 7pm. Details: The orchestra’s secretary on 01727 857422 or the Cathedral box office 01727 890256