- New research reveals that almost 1 in 4 Brits (24%) have never been to the theatre.
- Over half of respondents (55%) said that lower ticket prices would encourage them to go to the theatre more often.
- Norwich Theatre rolls out three-part plan to address the concerns around ticket affordability in their theatres including a ‘Pay in Instalments’ scheme.
Norwich Theatre, one of the leading cultural institutions in the UK, has released the findings of a survey that sheds light on theatre attendance patterns across Britain. In the survey of over 2,000 British adults, it was found that almost one in four Brits (24%) have never attended a theatre performance.
The survey aimed to understand the barriers that prevent people from experiencing live theatre, and when asked what would encourage them to go to the theatre more often over half of the respondents (55%) cited lower ticket prices.
To ascertain the extent to which this impacts the younger generation, respondents with children were asked how often they take their children to the theatre, which found that over half of families (54%) take their children to the theatre less than once a year, or not at all.
The research also found that those from London are almost twice as likely to attend the theatre every two to three months (12%) than those in the West Midlands (5%), Scotland (7%) or Wales (6%). However, across the country, only 1% of respondents go to the theatre once a week, and only 4% once a month.
In response to these findings, and following its own local research*, Norwich Theatre launched a three-part plan aimed to address the concerns around ticket affordability in their theatres. For many years, Norwich Theatre has made more than 50 tickets available for £10 for its main stage shows, an initiative which this new three-part plan builds upon.
The full plan has seen Norwich Theatre move to putting shows on sale every month, rather than seasonally, allowing audiences to spread the cost of booking tickets. It also sees the launch of its My Theatre initiative, which reserves a portion of their £10 seats for low-income audience members. The third and final part of the plan just went live: a ‘Pay in Instalments’ scheme, to spread the cost of tickets, to which over 300 people have already applied.
Stephen Crocker, Executive Director of Norwich Theatre, said:
“We know that experiencing theatre has huge benefits, whether that’s social and language skills, cultural awareness or cognitive development. At Norwich Theatre we are committed to ensuring that everyone has the best opportunity we can provide of coming to the theatre.
“Balancing the needs of audiences with the need and cost of creating great productions and fund charitable work in the local community is crucial, particularly for not-for-profit theatres like us who receive no public subsidy. This three-point plan ensures that much-needed funds can be generated while making theatre accessible to as many people as possible.
“To ensure the magic of theatre remains accessible to all, it’s imperative that theatres embrace innovation to offer more affordable ticketing options.”
To find out more about Norwich Theatre’s ‘Pay in Instalments’ scheme, please visit: https://norwichtheatre.org/pay-in-instalments/.
Results Table
| Total respondents: 2016 unless otherwise stated | ||
| Question | Option | Total |
| How often, if at all do you go to theatre? | Once a week | 1% |
| Once a month | 4% | |
| Once every 2-3 months | 8% | |
| Once a year | 14% | |
| Less than once a year | 28% | |
| Never | 24% | |
| Question | Option | Total |
| How often, if ever, do you take your child(ren) to the theatre?
Total respondents: 372 |
Once a week | 0% |
| Once a month | 4% | |
| Once every 2-3 months | 5% | |
| Once a year | 14% | |
| Less than once a year | 39% | |
| Never | 15% | |
| Question | Option | Total |
| Do you agree or disagree that tickets are reasonably priced? | Strongly agree | 4% |
| Tend to agree | 24% | |
| Tend to disagree | 38% | |
| Strongly disagree | 18% | |
| Don’t know | 16% | |
About the research
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2016 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 7th – 8th May 2024. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).
*in Norwich Theatre’s November 2023 research ‘Creative Conversations’, 47% of respondents said they were going less due to financial reasons