Pricing.... I don’t get it.

The ATG Alex in Brum is charging up to £74 for Jersey Boys in December, an extra £15 for the nibble box. It is getting ridiculous.

Touring prices have risen very significantly over the last few years - but so have prices in the West End: the seat that cost me about £50 for 'Gypsy' at the Savoy is £75 for 'Dreamgirls' (I did not pay £75 to see 'Dreamgirls').

Don't forget the exciting new bagel range too.

"I love the theatre but I really wish they would start selling bagels!" Said no one, ever.

I wouldn’t even pay the £15 for it. Load of old tut! 

Just to provide some wider context...in my experience the vast majority of theatres do bag checks now - booze is confiscated not to increase bar sales, but because it's against the venues' license to allow alcohol to be brought onto the premises. If it was about increasing sales, they wouldn't allow anything in. ATG (and every other theatre I've been to other than the London Coliseum) will let you take any sweets, soft drinks, and anything you want inside to eat/drink, as long as it isn't hot food or alcohol.

But bag checks are equally about security. Even if things can slip through the net, it's about customer reassurance. I remember working FOH (independent regional venue) just after the Paris attacks, and a woman was hysterical because we weren't doing bag checks. She wouldn't even go in to watch the show because she didn't felt safe.

Yes, theatre bars are expensive, but maximising sales isn't the reason for bag checks.

Re ticket charges, I remember there being an extensive discussion on another thread a while ago - in the simplest terms, the vast majority of the ticket "face value" goes to the producer/promoter. Once a show recoups and/or depending on the deal, the theatre may keep a percentage of the ticket revenue but it's rarely more than 20%. Booking fees is where theatres get their guaranteed income from. Most theatres across the country will get complaints about their booking fees (though I do think that theatre isn't nearly as bad as the music industry when it comes to adding on fees), though in the last couple of years there has been a trend whereby the booking fee is "inside" the ticket cost. So rather than the ticket being £50 plus a £4 fee it'll be £54 with no fees. This may be a contributor to regional ticket prices seemingly taking a sharp increase, though it seems like audience satisfaction is higher because there's no perceived additional fee, even though the ticket itself is more expensive.

It's weird, pricing psychology. I did some Box Office work a couple of years ago for some summer pocket money, and we had a major UK tour do a sit-down run - when the producer decided to remove the £3 concession for over 60s, we got an absolute barrage of complaints, and were reminded multiple times per day how disgraceful this was (despite the fact that it was by no means our decision). Yet later in the run when the prices increased by £5-£10 and the £3 concession returned...not a peep.

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Restoration levies are a thing so that the money is ringfenced for restoration work. Most (though not all) theatres seem to charge this now, though it does vary from about 75p up to £2. You've only got to take a look at various venues (yes, even ATG) and you can see that the amount spend on refurbishments is above and beyond the restoration levy income. The fact that theatre owners are safeguarding this income to look after their buildings is a positive thing, it's not just another stream of cash into their pockets. Though admittedly the larger groups (DMT/ATG/HQ) will pool all this money together to use for larger projects. For example a large chunk of the money to refurbish the Victoria Palace may well have come from restoration levies from Sir Cameron's other venues.

What I think is the big issue though is the multiple adding on to the ticket price. Theatregoers don't want to see a £40 ticket with a £1.50 restoration fee, £3.50 per ticket fee and £4 transaction fee - just call it a £49 ticket, and worry about the breakdowns behind the scenes.

I briefly ranted in another thread about another theatre theatreboard.co.uk/post/156423/thread

I know it is all Fight Club when talking about comps but I remember seeing The Dresser (before it went to the West End) for very cheap *WINK* at Richmond? Why because even with a top cast the prices are shocking and you might as well wait for West End deals. I think outside of London they assume the little people have nothing else to see so will spend an obscene amount of money seeing a tour.

I also think, this is mainly a London issue, people underestimate where the buyers of tickets are coming from. What percentage want to see a particular show and what percentage are people who will see anything of an evening. The prices work for the later but not the former

Cinemas are as bad, if not worse than theatres.

Popcorn. Must be one of THE cheapest commodities yet look at the mark up on it.

Nachos. More corn-based rubbish and that filthy, stinking slime they pour over it.

Five quid for a bucket of cola and they invariably dont have ice.

I was stood behind someone at The Snowman yesterday (don’t go, it was pants) buying two of those mini wines and there was t much change out of £15.

The ice thing is a con anyway. Its used as a cup filler so they have to serve you less product for your money.

Popcorn is delivered to cinemas in large sacks, ready popped.

When we went to see The Best Man in Richmond Theatre (cracking cast, by the way!) a few weeks ago, we were shocked to find the ice creams on sale for £5 each. 

We could only surmise that having queued to buy one, people were too shocked to say no and just paid up?! 

Well, Gary Barlow is touring theatres and other venues next year and for my local theatre the first front eight rows are vip at £178 (you get a signed program with "G", his lazy signature there days and a yet to be decided exclusive bit of tour merchandise. Maybe a GB branded nibble box ...) Rest of stalls, upper circle and grand circle, ALL seats, are £74. I know lots of these side stalls seats have a very restricted view yet are the same price.

Restricted view in gallery £55. Ouch!

A few standing spots at back of each level £41.

First Take That related tour I've ever missed but those prices are just ridiculous.

Also to be "entitled" to enter the pre sale tomorrow you have to have pre ordered his new book on Amazon. His new book is released October 18th. No, not tomorrow. 2018! He's not written it yet!

Give me strength! 😂