Recession? What recession?
(Extract from Whatsonstage.com)
"Never mind the economic and meteorological freeze, West End musicals are clearly hot if going by the various records being broken by several big shows this month.
Over the holiday period, the musical version of screen comedy Sister Act, which had its West End premiere last June, broke the record for the highest-grossing single musical performance at its home, the 2,300-seat London Palladium, taking more than £115,000 on one night and beating the previous record held by its predecessor The Sound of Music. The show also sold its 500,000 ticket over Christmas.
At the Lyceum Theatre, Disney's The Lion King ended its tenth anniversary year by breaking two box office records. It grossed over £32 million at the box office last year, making 2009 its highest grossing year to date. And, from 28 December to 3 January, it broke its own previous weekly record, grossing £800,000 in total - and being seen by 18,757 people across nine performances, making for a 101.2% average attendance (with standing room). In mid-December, it also crept up the list to become the ninth longest-running musical in West End history.
At the Apollo Victoria, Wicked also recorded 2009 as its highest-grossing year to date, taking in £27 million at the box office (up £100,000 from 2008). Now in its fourth year, the Broadway import has taken more than £90 million at the box office in total. It was also recently named Best Musical of the Decade by the American title Entertainment Weekly
Finally, the West End's ultimate long-runner Les Miserables marked yet-another milestone this month, playing its 10,000th performance on 5 January 2010. Based on Victor Hugo's classic humanitarian novel about a persecuted man, Jean Valjean, in 19th-century revolutionary France, Les Miserables has a book by Alain Boublil, music by Claude-Michel Schonberg and lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer. It's directed by Trevor Nunn with John Caird and designed by John Napier."
Just goes to show that theatre seems to be a luxury people can't do without! During even the hardest times, people will always look to theatre for escapism, entertainment and a jolly good night out!
