Manchester - Not Defying Gravity

[Phantom of London]

I have just looked at ticket sales for Wicked at Manchester, where the show kicks off its UK tour. I have noticed how poor the ticket sales are, there are several of the early performances that are limited availability, but many tickets are available for the other performances.

I expected this to sell like hot cakes and extend so Wicked to spend its Christmas in Manchester, but that might not be the case?

I might be the gravity defying ¯75 per ticket that are putting people off?

[Princeton Returns]

touring shows dont really extend as they have the next venue to go to.

its early days so doesnt surprise me at all

[Jonwo]

Think Dublin is the next venue after Manchester, as Princeton has said it's still early so I don't expect it to sell out just yet.

[Princeton Returns]

yep tickets already on sale.

wicked isnt as widely known as lion king so it wont be a stampede straight away

[Phantom of London]

Princeton, very good pun!!

What do you mean tickets on sale? For Manchester or Dublin?

[tommyslim]

it will pick up, shows in manchester always sell closer to the performance dates for long runs - when mary poppins was up that always had decent tickets available until a couple of weeks before it opened then word of mouth spread and it sold like hot cakes!

But then to be fair as well we priced up for me, my other half and our kids to go and it was going to cost nearly £300 including fees which is bloody ridiculous for decent seats! I'm hanging on in the hope someone I know will be in it!

[Musical-Matt]

where else does the wicked tour intend to go??

[Musical-Matt]

and where is lion king going other than the dates that have been announced??

[Princeton Returns]

actually the pun was by accident

i think they will drip feed dates over time but i think youll be pleased with venues musicalmatt

[Musical-Matt]

i seriously hope the mayflower southampton is a contender for both these shows seeing as we lost out to mary poppins

[Phantom of London]

Problem with Southampton, it is close to London and not too big a city.

I only can assume with Wicked it has only announced one date so far, that being Manchester as the producers want to see if they can extend if the ticket demand is there or move to be in a ne location for the prestigious Christmas run.

[Princeton Returns]

musicalmatt youll be happy over the next couple of years

dublin after manchester, tickets on sale with ticketmaster. birmingham summer 2014

birmingham and southampton on fast trains arnt that different in commute to london

[Jonwo]

Disney only announced Bristol and Manchester for The Lion King UK tour last February before announcing Birmingham and Dublin nearer the opening in Bristol so I imagine the next tour dates for Wicked will be announced around Summer when regional theatres have to publish their schedules for the coming months.

[Phantom of London]

No Birmingham has a big surrounding area, for people to come in from, with Southampton one way is the English Channel and the other way, you are getting closer to London.

I hope Southampton gets both Wicked and The Lion King but wouldn't be surprised if this city is bypassed.

[mikeyb16]

"and where is lion king going other than the dates that have been announced??"
They just confirmed the Edinburgh Playhouse for Christmas 2013.

I read however somewhere on What's On Stage message board that Cardiff was going to be the last venue for the Lion King Tour in 2014.

[SoonerOrLater]

From the dates I've heard for Cardiff that seems right. Wicked will also be flying into Cardiff (though that's not officially official yet....)

[rockyhorrorfan]

Couldn't care less about Wicked. I might venture to Edinburgh for The Lion King.

[Princeton Returns]

musicalmatt there were a few issues why mary didnt go to mayflower.

[Musical-Matt]

were the really princeton what were those?

[Posner11]

I am sure that come the night Wicked will be packed out all around the country - Phantom tour in Bristol had a massive internet crashing start but then seats seems half sold for several months but it sold out every night when it ran for its six weeks - with bookings opening just before Christmas and now the post spending blues its likely only the core fans will have booked and others will wait untill nearer the time.
But if ¯75 is the main top ticket and not just the premium then that does deserve to slow sales down

[Phantom of London]

I am sure both Wicked and The Lion king will do the regular big cities and hope they all see out withstanding charging an outrageous £75.

[Phantom of London]

I am sure both Wicked and The Lion king will do the regular big cities and hope they all see out withstanding charging an outrageous £75.

[SoonerOrLater]

In terms of ticket sales Phantom was similar here- massive first couple of days with fans and groups then evening out/petering out until it opened when the remainder went very fast. There was fairly good availability right until it opened (aside from the days around Christmas and new year)

Wicked I'd imagine will get the same type of sales-fans and groups will rush and then closer to the time everyone else will. I'd imagine the Lion King will sell out quicker because of the Disney label (as popular, pun intended, as Wicked is it's not up there with Disney level recognition)

[SoonerOrLater]

Is there any casting for this yet? (or have I just totally missed it...)

Also Cardiff is on sale soon....

[Phantom of London]

More dates announced for next year, seems the tour has run out of steam very quickly.

Five additional cities have been added to the forthcoming UK tour of Wicked.

As previously announced, the multiple Whatsonstage.com Award-winning show will launch its first UK tour at Manchester's Palace Theatre on 12 September 2013 before visiting Dublin’s Bord Gįis Energy Theatre (27 November 2013 to 18 January 2014).

The additional dates are:

Milton Keynes Theatre (4 February to 8 March 2014); Wales Millennium Centre (12 March to 26 April 2014); Glasgow; King's Theatre (6 May to 31 May 2014); Leeds Grand Theatre (10 June to 5 July 2014); Birmingham Hippodrome (9 July to 6 September 2014).

[Princeton Returns]

Run out of steam???? What do you mean?