To think these theatre prices are outrageous?

[takeharry]

Currently looking at HAMILTON tickets, now I understand they have a ‘star’ casting in Leslie Odom Jr, original broadway cast but FIVE HUNDRED fucking pounds? For one ticket?

There are a few £250/£275 tickets left but the vast majority left are £500.

AIBU to think there should be some sort of regulatory body to prevent this kind of bullshit pricing?

£1k for a couple to have an evening at the theatre

I don't love the theatre, that much. But as a one off, I'd do it to perhaps see a cricket world cup final (and a good seat) or to be front row at a concert of someone really popular.

She knows why.
it’s a discussion on the price point. Is £500 too high, would people pay £750, what’s your personal ceiling for a ticket …etc etc
as you are keen on recommending courses, may I suggest one that covers reading comprehension?

The problem is that people are willing to pay those prices for tickets. Some people have more money than sense. I would not pay £500 for a theatre ticket even if I won the lottery, even Euromillions £100 million jackpot. It's just obscene.

A sports event is different because it only happens once. The same theatre performance is reported many times over.

*repeated many times over.

6 evening performances then, but how many matinees are there - 4? So ten performances a week x 1,500 (assuming full capacity) is 15,000 bums on seats.

Running costs of £1 million divided by 15,000 is £66.66 per seat just to break even, plus 20% VAT = £79.99.

In other words, you have to sell each seat for £80 just to cover your weekly outgoings without making any inroads into recovering the £10 million you already spent in production costs. Divide the £10m by the number of seats available in the entire run and add that to each ticket price, also adding VAT as well.

That's your costs covered. Now, for all that effort, how much proft will the business owners expect to make for their investment in that production? Well, Corporation Tax on profits is 25% so whatever you add on, a quarter of it goes to the taxman, so you have to allow for that as well.

It is easy to see how bog-standard tickets on a normal day would be about £120.

So glad I live in an unfashionable area so went to see Hamilton last year when it was touring and paid ~£100 each for good seats. But I don't really care about seeing the big names.

That said, I don't think it's any different to paying a fortune to see Taylor Swift or Oasis or Scotland in the WC for the first time in 28 years or or any other major cultural event. Some people will pay a lot for luxury items because they have the money and they value that.

Like acting and singing isn't a skill the performers have honed for years?

Love that the OP wants the government to set ticket prices for shows she wants to see

Again

You've still got your knickers in a twist about it.

Here we go again.

People not understanding businesses aren’t charities and their main priority isn’t you, the consumer, it’s profit. Also, huge overheads.

See a show in the provinces or stay at home - problem solved.

Harry Styles tickets were similar prices

It wouldn’t be worth it for me for that particular production, but if it’s only a few tickets then I don’t really see the problem. Theatre does need to make money if it’s going to continue, and I’d prefer it to be going to the original sellers rather than to touts / scalpers.

I don't think they are resell tickets for LOJ i haven't got my mobile tickets yet, I think they are trying to avoid resale.

save your money, it's shit anyway

I agree it is a lot for a night at the theatre. But yunno, as others say, you don't need to go and also clearly ppl are happy to pay that.

Maybe think if it this way - selling really good seats at £500 to people who can afford that means the theatre can sell some seats a lot cheaper to ppl like you who were quicker off the mark and didn't mind a less good seat?

I am always after a bargain myself and gladly book a restricted view if I can discover it's not that bad. But a friend always wants front row of the dress circle. She paid £300 a pop for Frozen tickets IIRC.

Otoh I paid ££££ for Paris Olympic tickets to watch Keely's 800m win. It was unforgettable and for me, worth the ££. For others not so much i guess.

If you mean having a discussion, then sure, my knickers are twisted.

Haha yes to be fair that was a stupid comment

If I was selling let's say 10 bikes.

If I could sell them each for £100 I'd make £1,000.

If I could sell them each for £200 I'd make £2,000.

I wonder how much people think Leslie Odom Jr should be paid during this stint? This isn’t your B or C lister performing - he is a multi award winning actor / star. Ticket prices for his run were always going to be big.

I definitely understand that business are not charities but equally I understand that business isn’t reliant on £500 tickets to break even. It’s a huge money maker already.

The provinces?

Gosh, that’s utterly amazing. Thank you so much for this wise and not at all patronising post after all the other posts you have made. It’s really opened my eyes. Of course I now think £500 is a reasonable price. Well done, you did it!! Yay!!

Let me calm down a bit.

Why do you think it's ridiculous for a theatre ticket for Hamilton to be £500?

Can I see it for your perspective, why is a ticket show with a premier cast that is bought late ridiculous to have costed people £500?

I have no idea how much any of the actors should be paid, but I don’t think the whole of the added cost to tickets will be going to LOJ anyway.

They can charge what they like but I won't be going. As long as folk are prepared to pay these mad prices they won't come down.