West End Show Ticket Prices Rise Post Pandemic

West End show ticket prices have risen to new heights due to inflation following the pandemic. According to The Stage, who compiled the numbers of ticket costs and the factors influencing pricing in their survey, tickets to West End shows are now 21% higher than the pre-pandemic cost.

The most expensive tickets for plays and musicals

The survey showed that the most expensive tickets for a play are To Kill a Mockingbird at the Gielgud Theatre, with a current price of £199.50, and the most expensive musical tickets are Cabaret at the Playhouse, at a whopping £303.80.

The Stage found that the average price for the most highly regarded seats at a musical show are priced at £154.36, which shows an increase from 2019 of 3.5%, while the average for a play is currently £114.69, which is an increase of 38%.

The research took into account several factors in its findings, notably the economic situation in the UK, in which inflation is up an average of 12% from 2019. Additionally, the Playhouse, which hosts Cabaret, has been redesigned and is one of the reasons ticket prices are so high to see the musical.

The least expensive tickets

While the jump on the most expensive tickets is notable, the survey found that the cheapest tickets have conversely increased by 3.3% and the average price is a reasonable £22.56.

It was found that the lowest price for a ticket to a musical was £7.50 for Dear Evan Hansen at the Noel Coward Theatre, and the cheapest ticket to a play was for Jitney at the Old Vic, priced at £13.50.

Additionally, The Stage spoke to the Cabaret team and were informed that every performance has a lottery whereby there are £25 tickets available.

The Stage survey

The research into ticket prices was sparked by the public outcry when it was revealed that it cost £400 for a ticket to the play Cock at the Ambassadors Theatre this June. While the price was subsequently dropped in the weeks that followed, The Stage decided to investigate the situation more broadly to understand what is happening on the West End.

Alistair Smith, editor of The Stage explained that the tourist market in the capital is still not fully back to normal following the pandemic, and that the situation “is more of a mixed picture than previous years.” Smith elaborated:

“As well as those handful of shows that have had quite significant increases to the top-price tickets, you’ve also got quite a few shows that have actually dropped their top-price tickets. What you’re seeing is, to some degree, the impact of the pandemic and the fact that you now have a sort of two-tier system where hit shows are able to sell the best seats in the house to well-off domestic audiences. Whereas some of the long-runners, which maybe relied more on a tourist market, are having to actually lower their top prices to try to attract domestic audiences.”

The topic of ticket pricing is undoubtedly a complex issue, as the last two years have highlighted the ongoing issues of all people working in the industry seeking stable pay and conditions in the most unstable of times. With the cost of living rising, it’s unclear what the future might hold for the West End and the wider entertainment world, however the average and lower-end ticket prices are encouraging, and demonstrate a concerted effort to keep theatre accessible.

Also by Michelle Sciarrotta: