Greed, the sad conqueror of the West End

The latest news that happened to be confirmed two days ago and, as a result of this, the – at first – sad reactions to it and now, angry fans and supporters of “We Will Rock You” in London made me want to state my own opinion on things. Because, let’s be honest here: that show closing is just another brick in the West End theatre wall that is kicked out. And slowly, that brick is thinning out more and more.

Fact is: over the past year, more than one or two shows on the West End will have closed by the end of May, each with huge, supportive fanbases, left with the thought: “Why?”

For example: “From Here To Eternity”. That show started at the Shaftesbury Theatre on September, 22nd, 2013. It’s closing on March, 29th, 2014. Only 6 months of running. I have seen that show for myself once, and I think it was utterly beautiful and has/had huge potential. The actors are amazing, and the story itself is just catching the audience. Yet, after only such a short time, it’s going to leave the West End already, with no sign that it’s ever coming back so far.

Second example: “Rock Of Ages”. Now, I know I might be a bit subjective here, as a massive fan of that show and Cast myself, but if you know the show, if you know the people that worked hard on that stage every day, if you’ve seen the massive support and love that each and every single fan has shown them…it’s unfathomable that on November, 2nd, 2013, it closed for good after 2 years of a successful run.

And the newest victim of the West End ticket price policy: “We Will Rock You”. Again, I might be a bit subjective here, but…well, that show was my 1st ever musical in 2008, and the 1st show I have ever seen on the West End in 2012. I have gone through one closing in June 2013 already, of the german production, and I just have a really deep bond with it, with both productions. I’m not gonna tell anybody that it changed my life, that it made me who I am today, because that’s absolute bullshit. But it has that special place inside of my heart that I just can’t explain, and seeing it close once again is just bugging me. Twelve absolutely successful years at the Dominion, and after all, that show follows in the footsteps of so many shows before.

Why is that?

I have talked to a couple of people/friends, and everyone agrees: the ticket prices that nowadays are out there are insane, and sometimes, more than unfair. For the producers, it seems, the money is way more important than pleasing a lot of people who come to see their shows, which is just a huge shame and pretty sad. Theatre is supposed to make people enjoy music and acting, to have a good time, to forget their worries for 3 hours. But now, with all the amazing shows closing due to not enough tickets being sold – as a result of partly ridiculous price ranges, – it’s like daylight robbery, like the producers do the exact opposite of what they are (in my opinion) supposed to do: making people who come see their productions happy.

It’s wonderful if new shows are opening and having such a huge success at the beginning – like “The Commitments” or now “I Can’t Sing”, – but to be honest: I hate getting attached to a new show, like I did with “Rock Of Ages”. With everything seeming to go south on the West End, great productions leaving way too soon, this uncertainty of how long you’re actually able to enjoy a show/cast, is seriously exhausting.

Maybe the producers should stop thinking with their heads deep down in their wallet and instead, focusing on their supposed “life goal”. I am sure – and I am not the only one, – that if ticket prices would actually be more humane, they’d all get way more visitors and bigger audiences. Because greed never got anybody anywhere.