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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To call Peppa Pig’s “adventure” a big fat rip off?

58 replies

highinthesky · 03/02/2018 12:06

DD aged 2 loves Peppa, so I became vicariously excited for her when
I learned Peppa’s coming to town: southendtheatres.org.uk/Online/tickets-peppa-pigs-adventure-southend-2018

At £20 a ticket and just £2 off for concessions, it will cost a minimum of £38. I’m not badly off by any means, but this is a blatant rip-off and automatically excludes anyone who does have to budget tightly. Making Peppa’s adventure a very middle-class pursuit.

DD will have to stick to YouTube, she’ll be none the wiser for it.

OP posts:
Trashboat · 03/02/2018 12:12

I agree. Dd loves the Theatre and we got her tickets for Matilda for Christmas. But at £60 a pop, it damn sure closes the experience to a hell of lot of people.

Maniacmum · 03/02/2018 14:06

If it makes you feel any better, we had to leave during the interval to take DD to A&E completely unexpectedly AND it was on her actual birthday.

Sad

She still talks about it, 3 months on.

Gutted!

bridgetreilly · 03/02/2018 14:09

That sounds a perfectly normal amount for a theatre to charge for a live performance to me.

BluthsFrozenBananas · 03/02/2018 14:20

I used to work in theatre, it’s not a rip off, putting on live shows is an expensive thing to do.

The company putting on the show will either be paying to hire the theatre or doing a box office split of the profits with the theatre. The performers need to be paid, as do the backstage staff. If it’s a touring show there’s the costs of transportation of the set and company, the initial costs of the set, costumes and props, the running costs of maintaining those.

Most live theatre isn’t a charity or government subsidised, it’s a commercial business like any other, and to exist it needs to make a profit.

Username1242546432 · 03/02/2018 14:26

Find a friend to go with, we're going as 2 adults and 2 kids on a family ticket (at a different venue) it made tickets £16 each

Original poster
highinthesky · 03/02/2018 14:29

I understand theatre costs perfectly, but it’s a harsh and perhaps premature lesson for Peppa fans.

Without subsidising concessions properly, we’re only going to keep live performance endeavours the preserve of the rich. Not a life or death matter by any means, but another example of how money divides our society. It’s always the vulnerable that are affected the most.

OP posts:
PeonyTruffle · 03/02/2018 14:31

I won tickets to see it from Mumsnet and it would have pricey but it was very good. DS loved it Smile

PandaPieForTea · 03/02/2018 14:33

Where is the subsidy for concessions meant to come from?

MayFayner · 03/02/2018 14:37

I don't think that price is excessive. When DD was little, and I was a very broke single parent, I brought her to a few shows like this. The Fimbles is one I remember.

We just didn't go to everything and I had to budget accordingly and have chats in advance about merchandise

NerrSnerr · 03/02/2018 14:38

but it’s a harsh and perhaps premature lesson for Peppa fans.
But any similar production is expensive, Night Garden Live is about £15-20 per ticket. To see something like The Gruffalo, Dear Zoo or Tiger who came for tea is about £15 per ticket. It’s an expensive pursuit.

PotteringAlong · 03/02/2018 14:39

It’s always the vulnerable that are affected the most.

Grin it’s a live performance e of peppa pig. No ones vulnerabilities are being played on.

SweetSummerchild · 03/02/2018 14:42

Virtually all theatres allow the carer of a disabled person to go free but do not have a lower rate for the disabled.

To be honest, I don’t think that price is at all bad for the theatre. Our local Cineworld charges £19.99 for a 4DX showing at peak time and that is a rip-off (hence no-one is going).

Not everyone can afford every ‘experience’ for their family. I’ve never been able to afford to take the kids to Lapland, but that doesn’t make it a rip-off for what it is.

BluthsFrozenBananas · 03/02/2018 14:43

I take your point, and it’s deeply unfair that people are priced out of things they’d like to do, but it always seems to be theatre people are a) shocked about the price of, and b) think should be subsidised. Why not live sporting events, theme parks, restaurants, gigs, holidays, bowling or games consoles?

Notasunnybunny · 03/02/2018 14:45

When you say ‘rip off’, are you able to provide some financial breakdown that proves that the ticket price is disproportionate and unjustified in comparison to the costs of putting this on?

Notasunnybunny · 03/02/2018 14:49

And who is paying for these subsidies ? Funding for the arts is understandably not abundant and I would imagine more likely to be directed towards other projects, not a pepper pig production

Jassmells · 03/02/2018 14:49

I actually don't think that's as bad as a lot when you're talking £50 a ticket for the panto in Birmingham (sorry things are only going to get more pricey with the kids!) However if you look at it as a family of 4 being best part of £80 yes I agree is expensive.

However as someone who also works in these type of venues I disagree with previous poster and think touring productions costs are getting out of hand. Some productions tour constantly and when they are £30/50 a ticket they are milking it. It's different for a one off show or concert where the set up is higher but some shows are prohibitively expensive when they shouldn't be. Agree they need to make money and perhaps wouldn't have such an issue with that if they didn't pretend it was all about "art" 😡

nextDayDelivery · 03/02/2018 14:49

"Without subsidising concessions properly"

What? Who should be subsidising the concessions?

"it’s deeply unfair that people are priced out of things they’d like to do"

Well, I'd like to drive a Ferrari. It is unfair I can't?

Is it any wonder that the Tories are in power and likely to stay there for a few more terms when the alternative is entitlement where people complain their theatre trips aren't being subsidised?

Jassmells · 03/02/2018 14:50

Should say that's NOT as bad as a lot!

AnnieAnoniMouse · 03/02/2018 14:51

So you ‘understand theatre costs perfectly’ but you still think it should be cheaper. Who do you think should be subsiding it?

You don’t have have to get ‘rich’ to go.

‘Vulnerable’ ? Honestly, did you just pull that out of the bag to tug on heartstrings? Plenty of people won’t be able to afford to take their kids to live shows, it does not mean they or their kids are ‘vulnerable’ Plenty of people can afford to take their children and that doesn’t mean they aren’t vulnerable. Neither money nor live theatre denotes vulnerability.

For the vast majority of people £32-38 is affordable if they budget for it & if they forgo other luxuries & treats.

But even if it wasn’t, WHO do you think should subsidise the ticket price?

AuntTrotwood · 03/02/2018 14:58

I think it's a reasonable price for a live performance in a theatre. Most gigs or shows i've been to over the last few years have been £20-£80 per ticket.

seagreengirl · 03/02/2018 15:05

automatically excludes anyone who does have to budget tightly

So do lots of things...I always wanted to take the kids to Disneyland when they were younger, but we couldn't afford it. It's just what it costs to put on a live show, think how much it costs to go to the pictures. the theatre is real people who have to be paid. YABU

seagreengirl · 03/02/2018 15:07

Oh, and I have saved up to go to see a gig, you don't have to be rich to go to see live performances

Batmanwearspants · 03/02/2018 15:28

Some cinemas charge that much now so no I don’t see it as expensive.

falsepriest · 03/02/2018 15:30

Not mandatory to attend is it?

DingDongDenny · 03/02/2018 15:31

'Think of the children'