Theatres boasting record ticket sales

Theatre Severn has announced record takings at the box office for its latest pantomime Aladdin – and theatres in Telford and Wolverhampton are reporting similar success stories with their festive offerings.

Bosses at the theatre in Shrewsbury, along with Oakengates Theatre in Telford and the Grand Theatre in Wolverhampton, are all pleased with the success of the shows despite the recession.

Tickets sales for Aladdin at Theatre Severn have now smashed 30,000 and already brought record takings at the box office, with more than three weeks of the run remaining.

Theatre manager Peter Nicholson said: "Audience feedback has been tremendous. We are thrilled by our new partnership with Evolution Productions, who have produced a fantastic pantomime, and our decision to schedule extra performances into the New Year is helping us to meet the strong demand for tickets."

A spokesman for Telford & Wrekin Council, which runs Oakengates Theatre in Telford, said ticket sales were now booming after a slow start.

She said: "Ticket sales for Robin Hood & the Babes in the Wood initially started slowly.

"The pantomime has received some extremely good reviews since it began on December 8 and ticket sales have now increased significantly, with future performances selling well and a number of shows now nearly full."

Ticket sales for the production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Grand Theatre in Wolverhampton, which stars Linda Lusardi, are also ahead compared to this time last year.

A spokesman said that before the weekend 44,000 had been sold, which is slightly ahead of the position for Aladdin this time last year, and that takings were more than £30,000 up.

Aladdin opened in Shrewsbury on December 1 and runs until January 8.

Tickets cost from £11 from the box office on (01743) 281281 or at www.theatresevern.co.uk

Tickets for Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood in Telford, which runs until January 2, are available from (01952) 382382 or www.theplacetelford.com and cost from £7.50.

Snow White at the Grand Theatre runs until January 22. Tickets are available from (01902) 429212.