Data & Research
Box Office Data Report
Our annual publication The Box Office Data Report provides detailed information on attendances and audience trends for the previous year, including seasonal variations.
Please note, we are currently reviewing the content and purpose of the Box Office Data Report 2023. Members can view Box Office Sales data for 2023 and 2024 here.
Key findings of The Box Office Data Report 2022
- Attendances of 16,420,068 (up 7.21% from 2019)
- Gross revenue of £892,896,521 (up 11.6% from 2019) – real (adjusted for inflation since 2019) revenue of £790,022,668 (down 1.1% from 2019)
- Average ticket price paid £52.17 (£2.21 increase on 2019) – real (adjusted for inflation since 2019) price of £48.11 (down on 2019)
- Total capacity 20,463,603 (up 7.9% from 2019) – please note that more venues were open with fewer dark weeks in 2022 compared to 2019
- 19,224 performances (up 4.7% from 2019)
View a press release with full details here.
Members can view Box Office Sales data here.
Longest-running shows in West End History
The top 20 longest-running musicals in West End history
- Les Miserables (running since 1985) – over 15,000 performances
- The Phantom of the Opera (running since 1986) – over 14,717 performances
- Blood Brothers (1988 production, now closed) – 10,013 performances
- Mamma Mia! (running since 1999) – over 9667 performances
- Cats (1981 production, now closed) – 8949 performances
- Disney’s The Lion King (running since 1999) – over 8897 performances
- Starlight Express (1984 production, now closed) – 7406 performances
- Wicked (running since 2006) – over 6762 performances
- Chicago (1997 revival, now closed) – 6187 performances
- Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story (1989 production, now closed) – 5140 performances
- We Will Rock You (2002 production, now closed) – 4659 performances
- Thriller Live (running since 2009, now closed) – over 4613 performances
- Billy Elliot The Musical (2005 production, now closed) – 4566 performances
- Matilda The Musical (running since 2011) – over 4354 performances
- Miss Saigon (1989 production, now closed) – 4264 performances
- Jersey Boys (2008 production, now closed) – 3787 performances
- Jesus Christ Superstar (1972 production, now closed) – 3357 performances
- Me and My Girl (1985 revival, now closed) – 3303 performances
- The Book Of Mormon (running since 2013) – over 3202 performances
- Evita (1978 production, now closed) – 2900 performances
Information supplied to Society of London Theatre in September 2023
The top 20 longest-running productions in West End history
- The Mousetrap (running since 1952) – over 28,735 performances
- Les Miserables (running since 1985) – over 15,000 performances
- The Phantom of the Opera (running since 1986) – over 14,717 performances
- The Woman in Black (running since 1989, now closed) – over 12,958 performances
- Blood Brothers (1988 production, now closed) – 10,013 performances
- Mamma Mia! (running since 1999) – over 9667 performances
- Cats (1981 production, now closed) – 8949 performances
- Disney’s The Lion King (running since 1999) – over 8897 performances
- Starlight Express (1984 production, now closed) – 7406 performances
- Wicked (running since 2006) – over 6762 performances
- No Sex Please, We’re British (1971 production, now closed) – 6761 performances
- Stomp (2002 production, now closed) – 6512 performances
- Chicago (1997 revival, now closed) – 6187 performances
- Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story (1989 production, now closed) – 5140 performances
- We Will Rock You (2002 production, now closed) – 4659 performances
- Thriller Live (running since 2009, now closed) – over 4613 performances
- Billy Elliot The Musical (2005 production, now closed) – 4566 performances
- Matilda The Musical (running since 2011) – over 4354 performances
- The Black and White Minstrel Show (1962 production, now closed) – 4344 performances
- Miss Saigon (1989 production, now closed) – 4264 performances
Information supplied to Society of London Theatre in September 2023