What Will it Cost to Take My Kids to The Theatre?
16 June 2023
There’s some amazing shows, plays and musicals in British theatres and they’re a memorable experience for families.
Unfortunately going to the theatre with your kids can prove a little pricey. Before you take the leap and start booking your tickets, it’s important to know how much the experience will cost. Going to the theatre isn’t only about ticket costs - there’s merchandise, snacks, drinks, and other goodies that you’ve also got to account for.
No need to worry - we’ve broken down the cost for you right here:
Ticket Prices
While ticket prices vary depending on the position of your seats, the day you are watching the show, and which show you’re watching - we thought it might be helpful for you to see some sample prices for a few of the most popular shows in the UK.
The price range given here is for each seat, from the least expensive seats to the best possible seats you can get at each theatre. Prices for the best seats can get fairly astronomical as we start getting into the hundreds of pounds, but for most seats, you are looking at reasonable prices. Prices for adults and children usually cost the same.
Frozen in Theatre Royal: £87.00 - £155.00
Lion King in Lyceum Theatre: £42.00 - £211.00
Matilda, The Musical in Cambridge Theatre: £47.00 - £155.00
Mamma Mia! in Novello Theatre: £44.00 - £217.00
It is worth noting that you can get the experience of the theatre for much lower prices by going to a local community theatre and seeing a performance put on by amateur dramatics enthusiasts.
Snacks and Drinks
Memories of the theatre and the show itself will stick with you forever, but so will the experience. Like it or not, enjoying delicious food and drinks offered in these theatres plays a big part in how you’re going to remember your night out at the theatre.
To enjoy the whole experience as much as possible, you’ll want to treat your family to a quality meal and a few drinks (for the adults!), typically before the show starts. In theatres where the running show is child-friendly, there is likely to be a handy snack bar to cater to the little ones. While this will likely be significantly more expensive than your favourite fast-food restaurants, you might want to splurge a bit since a nice snack can take the whole experience to another level. Ice creams for the kids might cost around £7, with main dishes costing around £25-30. Drinks like fresh juices are also available with prices hovering at around £3-5.
Merchandise
Kids become instant fans of the show by the time it is done. They’ll likely be talking your ear off for the next month about how great that scene was, or how funny that joke was.
Theatres take advantage of this by offering goods and merchandise branded with characters from the show. Although they might cost more than you think they’re worth, you might want to get a little something to commemorate the experience. Stuffed toys will cost around £15-25, shirts may cost around £20-30, and keychains and small items like notebooks, buttons, pins, and badges, can cost around £3-15.
Visiting the theatre with your kids is definitely one of the activities you should include in your bucket list. Although you might need to break the bank a little since you’re spending more than just the price of the tickets. For what it’s worth, the memories you’ll get from this experience will be cherished by your family forever - so it just might be worth the extra few quid!