CREEPYTOWN Is the Halloween Panto Your Family Will Love This Midterm
If you’ve been quietly dreading the October midterm — the endless “I’m bored”, the sugar spiral, the three-day stretch that somehow feels like six — we may have just found your answer. CREEPYTOWN, a brand new Halloween panto from TheatreworX Productions, is coming to The Helix in Glasnevin this October, and it looks like exactly the kind of thing that’ll have the kids talking for weeks.
Running on selected dates between Saturday 24th to Friday 30th October, with three shows on these days at 12pm, 2.30pm and 5pm, CREEPYTOWN promises all the colour and chaos of a traditional panto but with a Halloween twist. Think dazzling dance numbers, outrageous costumes, big belly laughs and a cast of larger-than-life characters guiding little ones through a spooky-but-not-scary adventure. And yes, it’s suitable for the whole family — from toddlers to grandparents who claim they “don’t really do panto” but end up loving every minute.
Meet the characters you’ll be rooting for (and booing at)
The show is led by James Deegan as Dorkula — a goofy, loveable vampire with a gift for mischief. Deegan is a familiar face to Helix panto audiences, having also appeared in The Commitments and Little Shop of Horrors, and if past shows are anything to go by, he’ll have the whole auditorium in the palm of his hand within about thirty seconds.
Judith Mullally plays Mortabulous, a glamorous villain with serious comedy chops, bringing her experience in theatre, dance, cabaret and radio to what sounds like a gloriously over-the-top role. And keeping the energy absolutely flying is Emmagene Cooke as the Bad Hatter — colourful, chaotic and fresh off an AIMS Award nomination for Best Comedian in 2026 for her work in Rock of Ages. The cast is seriously strong for a show aimed squarely at families.
Three performers bring Halloween pantomime characters to life.
Spooky enough to be fun — but not scary
If your child is the kind who loves Halloween in theory but dissolves into tears the moment someone walks past in a werewolf mask, CREEPYTOWN has been specifically designed with them in mind. Claire Tighe, Director and CEO of TheatreworX Productions, was clear about the intention behind the show: “We wanted to create a Halloween experience that gives families all the excitement and atmosphere of the season without being too scary for younger audiences. CREEPYTOWN is colourful, funny and full of music, dance and larger-than-life characters, with something for every member of the family to enjoy.”
The running time is approximately 60 to 65 minutes with no interval, which is genuinely good news for parents of smaller children who treat any pause in entertainment as an invitation to start demanding snacks or ask repeatedly when they’re going home.
Get the costumes out — there’s a Best Dressed competition too
Here’s the bit that might get the kids properly excited. There will be a Best Dressed competition running across the shows, with prizes up for grabs for the best dressed adult and child. The winners will each take home tickets to the Helix Christmas Panto — so there’s real incentive to go all out with the fancy dress. Little witches, wizards, monsters, vampires, harlequins — all welcome. Start raiding the dressing-up box now.
CREEPYTOWN is produced by the same team behind the hugely popular Helix Christmas Panto, so production values and audience experience are well established. The Helix itself is an award-winning venue in Dublin 9 — easy to get to and well set up for family audiences.
Tickets are priced at €22.00 (plus booking fees) and are available now. With 15 performances across the run — including three shows on October Bank Holiday Monday — there are plenty of options to find a time that suits. Worth booking sooner rather than later, especially if you want to pick your preferred slot during the midterm week.
Full show dates and times, and ticket booking, are available at www.thehelix.ie/creepytown2026.