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, a Box Office Data Report was not published in 2020 or 2021 due to the pandemic.
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 6513 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
- No Sex Please, We’re British (1971 production, now closed) – 6761 performances
- Wicked (running since 2006) – over 6513 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