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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think the price of tickets for theatre are insane

363 replies

Chopbob · 19/02/2022 18:39

I was looking to booking Beauty and the beast on stage in Manchester for my dd birthday, but omg-how expensive!!!!!
Whilst they offer a very small number of tickets for £20 each (a tiny number, all restricted views) the tickets start around £40 each and go up to £100. For a children's show. In Manchester.
A family of 4 would be looking at £160-£400 for one, single kids show.
AIBU to think this is completely insane? Or am I completely out of touch?

OP posts:
sanbeiji · 20/02/2022 10:13

@throughtheair

It's not the cost of theatre which is elitist / prohibitive, it's the cost of seeing MUSICALS.

my experience in box office was that plays rarely sold well. No matter what they were, how well reviewed or what actors were in them. Inevitably offers would start going out on already cheap tickets and staff would be given comps to try and fill the house.

But on the days that things like Les Mis or Phantom went on sale, the queue was literally down the road. Musicals are insanely popular and funnily enough, they're expensive. Part of that is obviously the genuine cost of staging them and part of that is their popularity.

If people really just wanted the experience of theatre, they could seek out cheap children's theatre for the little ones, they could take the older ones or themselves to cheap but excellent plays, maybe they could take advantage of the £5 opera tickets. They could watch am dram.

But that's not what people want. They want to go and see the big west end Disney musicals like everybody else and then complain that it's not affordable.

I think theatre as an overall art form should be affordable and accessible but I don't think there's a god given right to be able to go and watch Frozen or whatever.

^ this
Momicrone · 20/02/2022 10:17

Musicals are the gateway to theatre for many, of course they should be affordable, why should just the middle classes and above go?

buffyajp · 20/02/2022 10:18

@Wishihadanalgorithm

Yes, was just going to mention Frozen. I booked the tickets and felt shaky for a while afterwards.

The prices are so prohibitive for many people - it’s such a shame but I can see why for some shows the prices are so high.

But you can buy cheaper tickets for Frozen. You just need to do it when they first come out. I got four tickets for less than £100 which, personally, I think was excellent value for a West End show.
TheYearOfSmallThings · 20/02/2022 10:19

If people really just wanted the experience of theatre, they could seek out cheap children's theatre for the little ones, they could take the older ones or themselves to cheap but excellent plays, maybe they could take advantage of the £5 opera tickets. They could watch am dram.

I'm definitely willing to go down this road. Where is the best place to find out about theatre outside the mainstream? I had a look yesterday and even where I know a particular local show is on I had great difficulty finding it online.

Is there some platform smaller productions publicise themselves on?

Fizbosshoes · 20/02/2022 10:19

I don't think it is just musicals. As I mentioned previously I saw a play with a cast of 4 or 5 and almost no scenery, and it was £80/ticket for a medium price ticket. The only other shows (not many!) I've seen were musicals with enormous cast and spectacular sets. One I paid a similar price for better seats, and the others I got similar or better seats for half the price, but with an offer. I guess it's a bit like flight tickets. If you book super far in advance, or at unpopular times they are usually cheaper. And sometimes last minute is good too.

LizzieSiddal · 20/02/2022 10:20

If I took our children to a West End level show we would be foregoing all other days out/soft plays/coffee shops for several months

Why dies it have to be The West End? There are lots of west end shows which tour all over the country, go to one of them, book very early and you’ll get much cheaper seats. If you can afford other days out, you can afford the theatre if you really wanted to.

CrimbleCrumble1 · 20/02/2022 10:22

buffyajp it sounds funny but I’m really scared of heights so can’t sit too high up. I did have a wander around the theatre where Frozen was on but couldn’t have sat any higher.

sashh · 20/02/2022 10:24

It might actually be cheaper to take her on a city break to London that includes a show, hotel and rail travel.

For some reason a package costs the same or less than the ticket.

LizzieSiddal · 20/02/2022 10:24

Musicals are the gateway to theatre for many, of course they should be affordable, why should just the middle classes and above go?

For those who can’t be arsed reading the thread —-

YOU CAN FIND VERY CHEAP TICKETS FOR MOST MUSICALS IF YOU BE ARSED TO SPEND 5 MINUTES ON THE INTERNET.

MischievousBiscuits · 20/02/2022 10:25

It's all gone up so much. We have a tiny little theatre round the corner from us and FiL was going to take MiL for valentines day but immediately changed plans when he was given the price!

throughtheair · 20/02/2022 10:28

@TheYearOfSmallThings I don't think there's a specific platform, you need to do some digging to find out what venues there are near you. Try googling local arts what's on guides or family what's on guides. Ask on your local FB groups perhaps, look for local arts groups to ask.

sanbeiji · 20/02/2022 10:28

@Momicrone

Musicals are the gateway to theatre for many, of course they should be affordable, why should just the middle classes and above go?
That's not quite true... when I was at uni in London watching musicals was a big thing among students. Being young, free and able to grab Grin cut priced last minute tickets!

It very rarely developed into a broader love of theatre.

Bear in mind there are also hybrid shows, not big budget musicals but shows involving a mixture of art forms, put on by local theatres as well (obviously depending on where you are!) It's a waste of money to insist that one very specific, expensive form be subsidised.

sanbeiji · 20/02/2022 10:30

@LizzieSiddal

Musicals are the gateway to theatre for many, of course they should be affordable, why should just the middle classes and above go?

For those who can’t be arsed reading the thread —-

YOU CAN FIND VERY CHEAP TICKETS FOR MOST MUSICALS IF YOU BE ARSED TO SPEND 5 MINUTES ON THE INTERNET.

I see tickets for Mamma Mia for £13! But I'm sure some people will complain about even that =.=
TheGoogleMum · 20/02/2022 10:31

I feel like everything is getting expensive. There must be enough people paying high prices though otherwise they'd have to drop them to get people in

LowlandLucky · 20/02/2022 10:36

I would love to support our local theatre but at £35 a ticket it makes it an expensive treat. I do take my Grandchildren to the panto as that is their Christmas present but would love to go once a month. If they sold the seats at a reasonable price then surely they would fill the theatre ?

NotEnoughTime · 20/02/2022 10:36

sanbeiji

My local cinema charges £16.25 for an adult ticket and it costs £11.75 for a ticket for a child (up to the age of 14) and that isn't including booking fees so even going to the cinema as a family of four is a big treat Sad

EngAng · 20/02/2022 10:37

You do have to factor in the insurance costs against the audience claiming compensation for being given a sexually transmitted disease.

TheKeatingFive · 20/02/2022 10:38

If it's musicals specifically people are looking for, they tend to be well served by amateur organisations.

throughtheair · 20/02/2022 10:38

I also disagree that musicals are a gateway to theatre for many. If that were the case all the plays would be sold out to people who'd enjoyed the Lion King a few years before.

When patrons book they generally always book for the same genre. People who watch musicals don't often watch plays and vice versa.
Biggest crossover audience with musicals is the panto.

NotEnoughTime · 20/02/2022 10:38

I love the theatre and so does my DS1. HIs birthday and Christmas presents are always tickets for a play/musical/show.

We have had some good bargains over the years but also paid £££ if it is something we really want to see.

Momicrone · 20/02/2022 11:05

Lizziesiddal, no I can't be arsed reading the whole thread I'm too busy looking for cheap theatre tickets which I can't find

Porcupineintherough · 20/02/2022 11:06

@LowlandLucky I think you'll find they have little difficulty filling them now. And you make more selling 75 seats at £50 than 100 at £25.

TheYearOfSmallThings · 20/02/2022 11:09

@TheYearOfSmallThings I don't think there's a specific platform, you need to do some digging to find out what venues there are near you. Try googling local arts what's on guides or family what's on guides. Ask on your local FB groups perhaps, look for local arts groups to ask.

Unfortunately I am bone idle and if it's hard work to find shows I won't find them - maybe someone could set up a lovely site to make it easier for me Grin

sanbeiji · 20/02/2022 11:12

@Momicrone

Lizziesiddal, no I can't be arsed reading the whole thread I'm too busy looking for cheap theatre tickets which I can't find
where do you live? I've found Mamma Mia tickets for £13 in Manchester. All you have to do is search the theatres in towns near to you
HomeHomeInTheRange · 20/02/2022 11:15

@mummykel16

Wonder what they would cost without all the subsidies they get
The big musicals mentioned here don't get any subsidy. They are purely commercial ventures - and do have massive budgets.

Here is a musical available at a subsidised regional theatre where top priced Saturday evening tix are £45. Best seats in preview week are £22-50, and plenty available cheaper. tickets.royalexchange.co.uk/event/betty-a-sort-of-musical/

Here is a popular Michael Mopurgo production, suitable for 9+ with top priced tix at £30-50, cheapest £12-50 - and there are no bad seats in Nottingham Playhouse nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/events/private-peaceful/

At the same theatre the top priced tix for Fireman Sam are £18.

Northern Stage in Newcastle - Pinocchio (the ballet, by a top company) for 3+. Everyone under 16 - £10. Top price tix: £19

All these theatres (and all similar subsidised regional theatres across the country) have membership schemes with discounts, excellent 'Access' performances, cheap previews etc.