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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:
Original poster
highinthesky · 03/02/2018 15:47

It’s not mandatory, but nor is it ideal for children’s shows to exclude those financially worst off.

I’m not suggesting missing out will cause mental distress, it’s just another everyday example of how inequalities start young and broaden with time. It fits in with the wider picture of social inequality; I’d be interested to know whether Scandinavians have cracked this yet.

OP posts:
NeverTwerkNaked · 03/02/2018 15:55

I doubt seeing a Peppa show will affect her life outcomes in anyway.

Agree it is good to get them to experience live theatre though- during pantomime season look out for schools performances of the pantomimes /shows - they are much cheaper. My 4 year old and I got v cheap seats to a schools performance.

Or Birmingham royal ballet do a children’s version of the ballets as they tour. Think it cost me £20 total and it was amazing and educational (beautiful dance, beautiful costumes, explanations, a full orchestra)

NeverTwerkNaked · 03/02/2018 15:55

Northern Ballet do cheap children’s performances sometimes too

Wannabecitygirl · 03/02/2018 16:00

I don’t think that’s a bad cost. Disney on Ice cost me a fortune 🤦🏼‍♀️ It was more expensive than our tickets for Aladdin in London! Still, I love the theatre and live shows so I take DD a few times a year. We aren’t well off at all, waaaayyyy under the national average earnings. It’s probably the only thing we ‘spoil’ ourselves with.

Batmanwearspants · 03/02/2018 16:01

But theatre is just one of those things which costs more money than the average day out.

Amanduh · 03/02/2018 16:17

Thats like saying ANYTHING, any time, is excluding ‘those financially worse off.’
If my child loves Harry Potter...And I can’t afford to go to Harry Potter world....Is that the same then? Disney World? Buying an xbox? Buying or doing anything at any time?
What a ridiculous thing to say. Acting like they’re hurting people by charging £20 to go to the theatre.

cupcakemania · 03/02/2018 16:19

It's not a charity.

It's not expensive. Took my dd when she was 2. She loved it.

cupcakemania · 03/02/2018 16:20

It's cheaper than going out to nandos etc.

ShakeShakeTheMuffin · 03/02/2018 16:24

From your thread title I thought you'd been, paid a lot and it was rubbish. That would justify it being a 'rip-off'.

Ticket price sounds normal to me. I think YABU.

OuchBollocks · 03/02/2018 16:26

We're going to see it tomorrow. I'm glad this isn't a thread about it being a rip off.

Wannabecitygirl · 03/02/2018 16:39

Ouchbollocks- my daughter loved it 👍🏻 Well worth the money in my eyes

PandaPieForTea · 03/02/2018 16:41

If seeing live theatre is to be subsidised then Peppa Pig for families to take toddlers to isn’t the place to start IMO. The obvious way to get children to all have the opportunity to go to the theatre is through subsidised school tickets. The means that children whose parents wouldn’t take them, no matter what the price, still get to go.

Ironfloor · 03/02/2018 16:44

I don’t think £20 odd is a rip-off tbh.

BikeRunSki · 03/02/2018 16:47

But live theatre is expensive. We’re going to see Awful Auntie at half term. Tickets were around £20 each for that too. Fortunately we can afford that, but a couple of years ago we didn’t go and see the stage production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, because £50 was not doable for us.

Tfoot75 · 03/02/2018 16:52

I don’t think it’s a rip off but it is a lot. We saw touring production of stick man recently and it was £9.50 per ticket group rate, which is reasonable but there were only 3 cast members. So clearly something like Peppa pig is going to have a lot more and hence a much bigger wage budget. But generally I wouldn’t spend £80 for my family to see something that 2 of us aren’t interested in, like Peppa pig. I’d go to see something we all like instead like stick man, bear hunt etc etc.

PaperdollCartoon · 03/02/2018 16:55

I think that’s a pretty reasonable amount for the theatre. Productions are very expensive to put on and this sort of thing won’t have much profit margin. Yes it is unfortunate that cost will preclude some people from going, but that applies to a lot of things. As a PP says this sort of thing is never mentioned with regard to restaurants etc. Some people get to go on fancy holidays, others don’t. These are great things to experience but not essentials. I’m more worried about the kids that aren’t eating enough and living in damp houses getting ill than the ones who can’t go to the theatre (though I’d love them all to go to the theatre as well)

PaperdollCartoon · 03/02/2018 16:56

PandaPie Id donate to a charity that subsidised theatre tickets for school groups. Big school groups do often get discounts actually.

OuchBollocks · 03/02/2018 16:57

Tbh OP i think that the reduction of funding for public libraries, and their subsequent closure or reduction in opening hours, is a rather greater issue for disadvantaged children than not getting subbed for an hour of peppa bloody pig.

bigbluebus · 03/02/2018 17:19

No one needs to go and see Peppa Pig just like no one needs to go to Legoland or any of the other over expensive venues that are marketed to make you feel bad if you don't take your children to them at vast expense.

Believe me, when your DCs grow up they will not remember having been to any of these things at such a young age - the only person with the memories will be you, the parent. So the child really isn't going to be affected by missing out if they don't go.

BusyCrisps · 03/02/2018 17:27

I consider the theatre expensive but understand that it costs to put on such performances. It is sad that it is way beyond affordable for some, but recently my DD has enjoyed free or very low-priced theatre shows at local library which hardly anyone has attended - if people were so keen then those sort of things should be full.

We went to Peppa as a family treat (marginally less than OP quotes) and it was enjoyed by all, but it will be a few years until we can be sure splashing out on West End show (and it would be splashing out) is not a waste of money.

Crunched · 03/02/2018 17:28

The RSC and the ENO do fantastic tickets for under 26 year olds - my DD regularly goes for £5.
Not Peppa Pig I realise

Eltonjohnssyrup · 03/02/2018 17:33

TBF, if we had more money to spend I'd rather spend it on Social Care than subsidising Peppa Pig.

I mean, it's not exactly an essential cultural experience they need to enrich their lives. I mean, unless Peppa Pig has a role in Hamlet or the Cherry Orchard. And I can't say I remember her in them.

Eltonjohnssyrup · 03/02/2018 17:35

And I imagine the very poorest would like the benefits freeze to stop so they can buy nappies n milk n shit. They can probably live without Peppa.

JustHereForThePooStories · 03/02/2018 17:41

Still, it will keep the riffraff out Hmm

It’s a discretionary purchase. Nothing discretionary should be subsidised.

ChasedByBees · 03/02/2018 17:44

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.

All things that cost money exclude people who don’t have that money. It’s not discriminatory, it’s just that it is an expensive pursuit. We never went either as we couldn’t afford it. We survived.