Dirty Dancing is the UK's Number One show
Story by Lizzie Guilfoyle
ACCORDING to theatre ticket comparison website SeatChoice.com, Dirty Dancing is still the UK’s Number One show.
They say that in the last three months there have consistently been more searches for Dirty Dancing tickets via their website than for any other show in the UK.
The production, based on the cult film starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, opened at the Aldwych Theatre on October 24, 2006 and is still playing to packed houses.
Robert Iles, founder of SeatChoice.com said: “Dirty Dancing continues to be phenomenally successful and was consistently our most searched for show of the last three months. It may be three years old but that doesn’t mean it’s always easy to find tickets. If you want to find seats to Dirty Dancing you’ll still need to shop around as some of the ticket agents will sell out.”
In second place and, somewhat surprisingly, is the touring production of We Will Rock You at the Palace Theatre Manchester. The show, which opened in March and runs until June 6, has generated more searches for the Manchester residency through SeatChoice.com than the original Dominion Theatre production in London’s West End.
Speaking about taking popular shows on the road, Iles said: “It’s great to see a touring production generating more enquiries than nearly all of the top London shows. It demonstrates that there’s terrific demand for these big productions at regional theatres and sends out a strong message to producers – If you stage it, they will come!”
In the SeatChoice Hot Tickets list for the last three months Oliver! makes it into third place. The show, which received exceptional levels of publicity courtesy of BBC’s I’d Do Anything, a talent contest which saw Jodie Prenger win the coveted role of Nancy, is now booking at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane until February 27, 2010.
Commenting on Cameron Mackintosh’s revival of the Lionel Bart musical, Iles said: “Oliver! is doing very well and it looks like future ticket sales are good with Omid Djalili taking over the role of Fagin from Rowan Atkinson in July.”
Fourth place in the SeatChoice.com Hot Tickets list is taken by another surprise hit, War Horse, the touching, award-winning play based on the book by Michael Morpurgo. Using innovative puppetry and live actors, the play tells the story of a horse sold to the cavalry in World War 1 and then shipped to France and of his young former owner who sets out to find him. War Horse enjoyed two sell out runs at the National Theatre before transferring to the New London Theatre earlier this year.
Of War Horse, Iles said: “War Horse is a personal favourite. Audiences have been touched by the story and entranced by the puppetry of the Handspring puppet company. It has had some fabulous reviews and seats have been in high demand all through the first half of this year.”
And in fifth place is the highly anticipated Donmar production of Hamlet at Wyndham’s Theatre. Directed by Michael Grandage and starring Jude Law in his Hamlet debut, there has been a huge demand for tickets even before it opens on June 3.
As Iles explained: “Many people will be very keen to see Jude Law’s Hamlet and inevitably comparisons will be made between him and David Tennant who played the role so successfully in the Royal Shakespeare Company production earlier this year. Tickets are selling very quickly so fans should book their seats as soon as possible.”