J.K. Rowling & ‘Cursed Child’ producers call touts a ‘plague’ faced in efforts to keep theatre accessible

Nov 25, 2016

Posted by: Emma Pocock

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, J.K. Rowling, News

Cursed Child producers Sonia Friedman and Colin Callender, and J.K. Rowling herself have spoken out against the secondary ticket market, after newly released tickets for Cursed Child are being touted for exceptionally high prices.

Play producers Sonia Friedman and Colin Callender told the BBC:

“The secondary-ticket market is an industry-wide plague, and one which we as producers take very seriously. Our priority is to protect all our customers and are doing all we can to combat this issue.”

The website crashed on the 22nd, when 60,000 new tickets went up on the website.

The Palace Theatre are refusing entry to those showing up to the theatre with tickets sold by unauthorised sources.

Tickets were being listed on Viagogo for over £1000, and they commented to the BBC:

“Sellers set the prices on Viagogo and for popular events prices can be higher because there is huge demand and limited supply. However, tickets listed at silly prices rarely sell.

“The reality is that around half the tickets sold on Viagogo are priced at or below face value.”

A spokesperson for the production spoke to AOL, saying they are making as much progress as they can with regards to issues of high demand and high levels of touting:

“As producers there is only so much we can do without the Government enforcing the current legislation along with bringing in stronger measures to target touts on the secondary market specifically.

“We are adding our voice to the significant pressure from the entertainment industry to raise awareness of this issue and make this a key priority.”

Addressing website difficulties, she said: “With many people trying to purchase tickets, the ticketing systems are very busy.

“Customers having difficulties booking due to any technical issues are being contacted directly by our ticketing partners to help them complete their bookings.”

J.K. Rowling is adamant that tickets be kept universally at low, fair prices giving higher accessibility to theatre performances:

“What we would really like most of all is to bring people in who have never been to the theatre before. “I would be so proud to think that kids from my kind of background, who didn’t come from particularly theatre-going families, learn what theatre is about through this show. That would be an incredible thing.”

Prior to the opening of Cursed Child, Jack Thorne, John Tiffany and J.K. Rowling spoke about their vision for Cursed Child in helping to engage more people with the theatre, and and with touted tickets reducing the likelihood of this, it’s no surprised the production team is taking action. Jack Thorne called Cursed Child an opportunity back in June, and any attempt to take away that opportunity is being taken very seriously:

 “This is an opportunity, I guess, to get people who don’t feel they should go to the theatre to go to the theatre, and then discover that they want to go to the theatre.”

Long and short: Don’t buy touted tickets! Buy your tickets from official sources, we know how fast they run out, but you’re not running the risk of getting scammed, or getting refused when you finally turn up at The Palace Theatre.





The Leaky Cauldron is not associated with J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., or any of the individuals or companies associated with producing and publishing Harry Potter books and films.