Top West End theatre tickets have surged in price since before the pandemic

Top West End ticket prices have surged by a fifth compared to pre-pandemic levels, new figures have shown.

Producers have been accused of "misjudging the mood" of the public after a survey revealed the dramatic rise in the cost of tickets.

In its latest ticketing survey, The Stage industry newspaper found that the average cost of the most expensive tickets has jumped to £140.85 in 2022, an increase of 21.3 per cent since 2019.

One leading theatre critic said producers risk excluding large numbers of people who cannot afford the prices.

Mark Shenton, a critic and commentator, said that while some increase in prices was to be expected as a result of inflation, rising production costs and the impact of the pandemic, excessively high prices are risking a public backlash.

He said: “Theatres were always trying to get the maximum yield out of the seats they’ve got, that’s the way the business works… but they discovered the notion of premium pricing, which is... inflating prices artificially, is one way to do that.

“Producers here have sort of misjudged the mood of – for example with Cock, where the prices went up to £400 for tickets – the public backlash.”

The producers of the West End revival of Mike Bartlett’s play "Cock" faced criticism last month after offering tickets for £400, which it attributed to “supply and demand”, before reducing the top price to £175.

The producer of the hit sex comedy, which was performed at The Ambassadors Theatre in Covent Garden, defended the pricing at the time and said that 15 per cent of all tickets sold had been at £20 since the production went on sale.

But Mr Shenton said: “There was a huge Twitter backlash [against] producers in the West End, who will try to do any bang for their buck.”

He said the result would be fewer people of lower and middle incomes being able to enjoy British theatre.

A range of prices

“It’s the lower prices that get theatregoers in… high prices exclude a lot of people from going to the theatre, but as long as you have the low prices to match it it’s okay,” he said.

“My biggest concern is always the lower end – is it possible to get into the theatre at a cheaper price? And if it isn’t, then we have a problem for the future, because then people will stop going.”

There is also anger among audiences and theatre lovers about rising ticket prices.

Stef Keegan, an artist, writer and game developer, wrote on Twitter: “Theatre is prohibitively expensive.”

Joanne Lamb, an award-winning voiceover artist, added: “I don't know why we bother... going to the theatre now is so ridiculously expensive, it costs more than a flight!”

Many shows are not affordable for theatre goers

Many theatre goers say the hike in prices is stopping them seeing some of the biggest hit shows.

Lou Blakeway, a special education needs teaching assistant and former Royal Navy crew member, wrote: “I wish theatre tickets weren't so expensive, I'd like to see Hamilton, Lion King and Six Wives.”

Mr Shenton added: “These really high prices only apply to shows that are doing really well - most shows are just trying it on, and are they actually getting that price? Probably not. And there’s only a handful of shows that are doing that sort of business."

The Stage, which has carried out its survey since 2012, with a two-year gap during the pandemic, said that the increase has been driven by new productions, with the average top price for long-running productions falling over the same period.

This year has seen the largest ever number of top-priced seats – those over £100 – in commercial theatres since the survey began.

Cheaper tickets are still available

However, the average cheapest ticket has seen a much smaller increase of 3.3 per cent since 2019, now at £22.56, it said.

According to the title’s dataset, plays saw a steeper price hike than musicals, with the average most expensive play ticket up by two-fifths compared to 3.5 per cent for musicals.

The average cheapest ticket for plays has gone up by six per cent, while for musicals it has decreased by 5.1 per cent, it said.

A spokeswoman for the Society of London Theatre told The Stage that top ticket prices "always fluctuate year on year" and said they are often influenced "by a very small number of high-profile shows".

She added: "We are pleased to see the average lowest ticket price has stayed roughly the same. This consistently low bottom pricing demonstrates producers’ ongoing commitment to offering a wide range of prices, so that as many people as possible can experience London’s world-leading theatre."