To be so flabbergasted by the price of tickets to Harry Potter And The Cursed Child

[EverySongbirdSays]

I knew it would be expensive but BLIMEY CHARLIE! it's eye-poppingly eye watering expensive. The thing is to see it you have to see it in two parts and they are charging a full price West End ticket for each part.

In my case, it's ok as I'm not paying all of the cost of the ticket, it's right by my birthday so birthday treat is covering part of it and as it's just me and a friend it's completely affordable.

But it got me to thinking how utterly unaffordable it is for normal average families even those earning a good salary.

So for a family of 4 it's : £260 and a family of 5 : £325 for one day out, 2 days if you see it split

As it's in London for anyone outside the Home Counties this is before transport and hotels.

Is it naive of me not to think that this is quite normal ? I do think they are fleecing people a bit based on the name and splitting it in to two parts. I'm just glad I'm not paying full price, I wouldn't be able to justify it frankly.

My advice to anyone who thinks this is too expensive is - don't go.

I would never consider paying such crazy prices even though I could theoretically afford it (in practice I can afford stuff like this by not doing it IYSWIM).

This is like the rows about ticket resales - if no-one buys, they'll stop it.

I think its actually quite immoral.

Eh? It's a show, not dental treatment.

FGS. It's not compulsory to attend the theatre, it's a luxury. If you can't afford it or don't want to pay those prices, then don't go. Nobody's holding a gun to your head to see the latest West End show are they? If you just want the experience of live theatre there are plenty of cheaper things you can see.

Anybody who works in theatre will have a better idea of how much work goes into each production / performance and why tickets are priced as they are.

This is why I prefer cinema. More accessible. West end theatre really is the preserve of the rich.

West end theatre really is the preserve of the rich.
It really isnt, I paid £15 for a second row ticket on Monday night to see Dr Faustus, my dd is 18 and regularly gets £5 tickets for all the top shows, she goes to the west end 2 or 3 times a month to see a show. As for Harry Potter we paid £35 a ticket.

The Book of Mormon cost over £90 a ticket Last week DH and DD went for £20 each near the front/mid stalls, my ds and his gf saw it for £10 each for front row seats.

There are much cheaper tickets around if you are prepare to be flexible.

That's bonkers - and not at all family friendly.

You either have to see both parts on the same day at the weekend - so 2 long theatre trips in one day, starting at 2pm and finishing at ~10.30pm - or you can see it on consecutive days, but only midweek.

No-one with kids thought up that, did they?

bluespiral

OBVIOUSLY, no-one has put a gun to my head. But I'm not paying the full amount of it either, birthday treat. I desperately want to see it, and that's the thing, the entire audience will be Potterheads, so effectively they knew they could charge what they liked and people would go. I wasnt asking was I aibu to go, I'm going. But I was shocked. I'm neither a Londoner or someone with much knowledge or West End prices.

OP - don't pay, don't go.

Other "Potterheads" don't go until/unless the prices are more reasonable.

Or else accept you slavish devotion is going to cost you and stop moaning.

I think I've stated several times now that :

1. I already have tickets and I'm going
2. I didn't pay full cost so it was affordable

You can only be flexible if you live in London

Anyhoo we shall be going to see fantastic beasts instead.

Fair points OP, well made. YABU to be flabbergasted (IMHO of course) I hope you enjoy it though.

If its unaffordable, either (I) buy tickets to just part 1 then save up for part 2 or (ii) buy the script this summer.

I'd go if it was live-streamed at cinemas. DS is too young at the moment anyway, although he loves the films.

I recently paid £40 to see 2/3 of the stage at The Garrick. Even the cheap, restricted view seats were top of my budget. But if they weren't charging that I expect many productions just wouldn't be put on so...

I paid £90 each for the front row of one of the tiers. I don't know when they changed the days but we're doing friday night and Saturday night. Although that's in the previews this year so maybe they only changed the standard tickets. I queued for 2 hours online to get those on the first release day but I am a massive Potter fan and couldn't imagine doing anything else.
I wasn't willing to pay the price of stall tickets though.

I don't think it's anymore expensive than most west end shows.

I work in a creative industry (I may be feeling grumpy after one too many unsolicited emails asking for loads of work for pennies this week, but anyway). I'm aware that shows such as these cost HUGE amounts to put on..

Writers, directors, stage hands, stage managers, actors, under studies, costume design, lighting design, sound engineer, special effects, prop makers, orchestra, staging engineers, rigging, theatre staff, marketing, graphic design, bar staff, theatre managers, box office workers, catering, cleaners and I've probably missed out loads of things.

It's not like popping to the cinema. It's a whole industry and it costs.

Popping to the cinema you are aware of the size of the film industry?

Exactly harry. And most of the jobs you've listed will be badly paid - it's not exactly a highly paid industry.

Still, people continue to begrudge the cost of tickets they don't have to buy.

Of course I am Napnah. My dh actually works in the film industry. People complain about the price of cinema tickets too. I meant 'popping' to the cinema as in people do it more often as new films play at sinilar times at many many screens all over the country and its more affordable (although not cheap!).