London box office figures for individual shows remain unpublished, but those seeking a barometer of the current state of the West End need look no further than "Absent Friends" and "Hay Fever."
Both classic British comedies opened last month within two weeks of each other in midsize houses to largely ecstatic reviews. The surprise is that, since opening, both shows have continued to offer major discounts and ticketing deals, suggesting box office has not been as robust as was hoped. Playful Prods.'
Matthew Byam Shaw, one of the lead producers on "Hay Fever," is in a confident mood after a major marketing spend and what he reports is a pickup in sales -- but he acknowledges the going was slower than anticipated. "After those reviews, you would have expected the box office to roar," he says. "But we didn't get the lift we'd hoped for." It's indicative, he says, of a shift in London's booking patterns: "Audiences for plays used to book way in advance. Those audiences are still coming, but their decision to buy is being made much later."
The phenomenon is trans-Atlantic, with Broadway producers in recent years also confronted by consumers who buy tickets closer and closer to the performance date. The trend is likely attributable to a number of factors, including the instant ease of Internet sales and the increasing profile of discounted tickets, for which some buyers might be holding out.
Byam Shaw points to the stage version of "The King's Speech," which opens in town next week following a critically applauded U.K. tour. "We took a ton of money in Newcastle, but people were only booking four days ahead," he says.
READ MORE: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118051834
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