West End theatres respond to claims that ticket prices are higher than ever

Industry leaders said prices are ‘misrepresented’

Theatres in London’s West End have hit back at reports that ticket prices for plays are too high.

It comes after an annual survey found that the most expensive tickets to events had risen by 5 per cent, according to The Stage magazine. The survey found a ticket for Mark Rosenblatt drama Giant priced at £353, while The Times found one for £436, due to producers using a dynamic pricing model.

However, the Society of London Theatre (Solt) referred back to their report conducted in conjunction with UK Theatre earlier this year, which found average prices were 5.3 per cent lower in real terms than in 2019. It claimed that only one in 400 tickets were priced at over £250, with the vast majority within affordable price ranges.

“Each year, a handful of top ticket prices are misrepresented as typical of West End theatre,” said Hannah Essex, Solt’s co-chief executive. “In reality, the West End remains one of the most accessible world-class cultural destinations — offering a wide range of prices and targeted schemes that make theatre more inclusive than ever.” The organisation said most of its tickets were priced at less than £56, with over a quarter under £35.”

Theatre producer Patrick Gracey shed light on the real costs of West End productions, writing that a play costs £2m to put on, while a musical can be up to £10m, with weekly running costs of £200,000 to £400,000 respectively. He insisted that theatres needed flexibility with price offers, delivering a range of options, while still being able to reinvest in productions.

The cast of the West End production of ‘Wicked’ take a bow at the 2023 Media Night at Apollo Victoria Theatre on April 19, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Nicky J Sims/Getty Images) (Getty Images)

He explained productions are employing “more people than ever, and wages, material costs and overheads continue to rise – applying relentless pressure on ticket prices”.

The Stage found that Cabaret was the top-priced musical, with tickets up to £253, although this constituted a drop of £50 from the year before; Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was the cheapest, meanwhile, with tickets costing as low as £15.

Solt’s report warned that rising production costs were threatening the viability of theatre in the UK.

“The economics of theatre are finely balanced. Without strategic support and investment, rising costs threaten the viability of even the most commercially successful productions,” it said.