West End 2009 Season Topples Multiple Records

The Society of London Theaters released figures today revealing 2009 was an extremely strong year for West End theater as it broke both box office and attendance records, according to a report in Variety. Attendance was up 5.5% from 2008 with a total of over 14 million, which in turn put the rise in box office profits at a 7.6% rate of increase from 2008.

Almost all forms of theatre seemed to thrive in 2009: plays had a 26% attendance rise from 2008, and Variety cites major players to be: "the Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart "Waiting for Godot," Helen Mirren in the National Theater's "Phaedra" and Michael Grandage's Donmar West End season at Wyndham's theater headlined by Derek Jacobi, Judi Dench and Jude Law, which played 96% capacity," and opera, dance, and entertainments were up 7%. 

Musicals may be the one form of theatre that did not increase, instead there was a 2% decline from 2008, but Variety mulls that may be due to the relatively few new musical choices.  However, musical theatre seemed to liven in the final quarter of the year, during which attendance was up 4%. Variety reports, "By the year's end, "Oliver" had broken the Theater Royal Drury Lane house record for a weekly gross, "Sister Act" had broken the London Palladium theater's record for a single day's take, and "The Lion King" and "Wicked" both broke their own records with their highest grossing year to date."

The general increase of theatre-goers was not strictly limited to West End venues: Regent's park Open Air Theater played at 96% and Shakespeare's Globe played at 86%. The Young Vic garnered their highest box office numbers ever with "Annie Get Your Gun."  So far, it seems the 2010 shows are poised to have a similarly impressive showing.