Didn't see this in any threads so thought I'd mention it. I checked ticket prices yesterday for Oliver and was astounded to see that for the best tickets they are charging £60, and a rumour that premium ticket will be £95.

This is ridiculous considering the free advertising they've had, the money the received from the phone votes and guaranteed sales anyway.

Not to mention the fact that the lead female role is being played by an unknown. (I'm glad Jodie won, but she's still technically an unknown, so it's no offence against her)

I realise Rowan Atkinson is playing Fagin, but really, £60 is a complete rip off and I for one won't be attending. If I'm going to go all the way to London to see a musical I want decent seats, but I'm not paying that.

You could wait and get package deal.

there is your answer. Oliver is usually played by an unknown as well and he is the major lead. the prices are indicitive of the location of the play and are normal. the price is for the play, the story, the location not necessarily who is in it.

Prices are indeed steep but they're fairly in line with any other productions I've been to, bar Avenue Q and Joseph. The huge cast has got to be factor as well. Have already booked tickets and will probably go again after a few months. It's an expensive hobby, though, I grant you.

Also, didn't all the money from the phone votes go to musical theatre bursaries? Cameron won't see any of that cash. Granted, the free advertising is priceless.

percentage wise, how many people that watched this show are actually going to purchase tickets

the musical Oliver, did not need this show as an advertisement.

Hey Piper.

I agree that the production would have been successful anyway. It's a popular family show with a starry cast. However, I seriously doubt that without I'd Do Anything it would be currently taking anything like the number of pre-bookings it is now. The TV programme will eventually translate into more takings and a longer run.

Whatever problems there may have been with these shows, in terms of getting the "right" winner, or attracting the kind of audience figures that the BBC would like, they have been phenomenally successful in selling theatre tickets. How long more is Lee contracted for Joseph?

I don't think that price is that unusual. I paid £75 for a ticket in the stalls to see Dirty Dancing. Joseph was cheaper than Oliver though. I can't remember how much the tickets were.

we paid £65 each to see wicked and were sitting in the dress circle, almost needed binoculars to see the stage!

every one we spoke to had paid the same and no one was very happy about it, having been to see other shows, with better seats at half the price!

I agree - sad but true.

That's not an unusual price.

I have gotten really good seats half price at Leicester Sq. depending on the show, also a hotel concierge got me cheap tickets once.

I paid that much to see Wicked and was sat in the circle. If you'd asked me I would have told you I was very happy with the view I had.

I've paid £60 for tickets for Wicked too, Row B of the stalls, slap bang in the middle. But I went two weeks ago and paid £20 for stalls Row D but slightly to the side - for the sake of about 10 seats difference I saved £40 and the view was just as fantastic. So I think what I'm saying is shop around for the tickets because some of the cheaper ones are sometimes fantastic (but then again, some aren't, so you just have to be careful).

[quote=LaurieMarlow;24506670]Hey Piper.

I agree that the production would have been successful anyway. It's a popular family show with a starry cast. However, I seriously doubt that without I'd Do Anything it would be currently taking anything like the number of pre-bookings it is now. The TV programme will eventually translate into more takings and a longer run.

Whatever problems there may have been with these shows, in terms of getting the "right" winner, or attracting the kind of audience figures that the BBC would like, they have been phenomenally successful in selling theatre tickets. How long more is Lee contracted for Joseph?[/QUOTE]

Until October.

so true!

I believe Lee's in Joseph until January now.....he's extended his contract.

To be honest, you'll pay about that for the best seats to most shows in the West End. Usually it's worth it


Yes, they have had a lot of free advertising but none of the money from the phone votes go towards the show - Cameron will have invested a lot of money in the production.

As you say, the prices are in line with other West End shows and I bought tickets for my daughter to see Dirty Dancing and they were £60 each as well! I spend a fortune on concert tickets as my family love live concerts and musicals and go to as many as we can, and my last three concerts have been The Beach Boys, Zombies & Yardbirds and David Essex... all fantastic, especially The Beach Boys who did three hours of their hits! Queen with Paul Rodgers, who has a superb voice is on my agenda for October!

Maybe Oliver will tour if Bill Kenwright does a version and tickets will be half the cost! The only one from the TV show (other than Jodie) I would love to see is gorgeous wee Gwion!

that's a good point about the concert comparison
AC/DC 5 years ago was 150
Barbra Streisand 250
don't even ask about the prices for shows in Vegas.

He has - he's currently scheduled to be in Joseph until Jan 10th.

The Oliver! tickets are expensive, but as others have said, the prices are pretty much the same throughout the WE. It is rip-off pricing (especially when you factor in accomodation and/or travel costs on top of the ticket price), but the theatre peeps would argue that they need to cover overheads, cost of staging etc, and the only way to do that is to have high ticket prices.

rowan atkinson can kiss my arse

bwaaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahaaa

i would let him!

I know its not a musical, but I only paid £47.50 to see God of Carnage, with Ralph Fiennes, Ken Stott, Tamsin Grieg and Janet McTeer.

You can't tell me they aren't all big names. Got all their autographs too....

*smiles smugly*

It is a new play though, and probably only appreciated by a minority of people.

Will probably book for Oliver, but may try and get a deal of some kind. Its the first film I remember seeing at the cinema. Apparently I saw The Sound of Music when it first came out too, but I don't remember it. I think it was because my parents decided to go caravanning in the rain.

I paid £25 to see Joseph in the balcony and had a very good view of the whole thing. Nobody needs to pay silly prices to see a show in the West End...I've seen Phantom 3 times and only paid £20 each time.