SHERIDAN Smith’s new West End play Opening Night continues to be hit by more bad luck as rows of seats have been left unsold.
It comes as Sheridan’s show has been hit by a barrage of negative reviews, audience members claiming they fell asleep and reports of others walking out.
In the latest blow for the troubled show, which features music by Rufus Wainwright, upcoming Saturday night dates for the musical -usually the most in-demand night of the week in theatre land – still show plenty of availability.
The matinee on Saturday May 4, for example, shows that two full rows in the stalls have yet to sell a single seat.
These are tickets priced at £95, far from the most expensive seats which can reach £175.
There are also more than 20 of the cheapest seats in the house still up for grabs at £60 a pop.
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That same day’s evening performances also currently has four rows in the stalls that are currently, at the time of writing, fully unsold.
Prices for these seats range between £70 and £90.
Up in the dress circle, meanwhile there are two full rows yet to sell a seat, and in the grand circle, there are three empty rows and lots of other availability in the other rows.
Begging fans to buy tickets
It follows Sheridan – who has received positive reviews for her performance despite the production being slammed by many reviewers- begging fans to come and see the show.
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She told Radio 2’s Scott Mills show on Tuesday: “I get terrified, it’s worse as I get older.
“I was fearless when I moved to London.
“Now, there’s so much pressure.”
She then urged listeners: “It’s [Opening Night] absolutely fascinating and fun… Please come!”
Facing her demons
The play sees her playing a troubled actress battling her demons, and Sheridan has spoken about how art has imitated her own life.
Of the parallels between her former self and her character Myrtle, she said: “I am playing an actress but at least I can add a bit of my emotion to it, some true emotion.
“It is very freeing. It has actually been really cathartic, just getting it all out.
“It’s like I am back, doing it, you know? Taking ownership of it.
Audiences not impressed
Since the show opened at London’s Gielgud theatre, audiences have not been kind in their response – with several ticketholders walking out before the end.
One theatregoer said: “The entire row in front of me left during the interval. I wanted to, but I’m glad I didn’t, as I would have missed the part of the show where Sheridan fights with a ghost while dubstep music is played.
“More people in the audience, sat quite near the front, got up and left in a huff during this moment too – while Sheridan was actually onstage.”
The reviews from critics have been even more savage.
Critics give the cold shoulder
One reviewer even claimed audiences fell asleep during the performance he watched.
Stefan Kyriazis, the Arts Editor for Express said: “As the curtain fell, the poor ladies in front of me muttering, ‘I don’t understand – what just happened?’ echoed the bewildered slump of an audience who sat (some smartly snoozed) through Rufus Wainwright’s tuneless tunes, endless pointless and intrusive camerawork (enough, already), some atrocious acting and frustratingly bad staging.”
Meanwhile, one theatre lover branded it a “multi-lane pile up”.
It was also labelled “tragic” and a “waste of audiences’ time and money”.
Prices slashed
Things have grown so dire, some ticket-selling services have cut the prices of seats in an attempt to lure audiences.
Seat filling service, ShowFilmFirst, are now touting tickets for as little as £25, while the London Theatre Direct website are flogging front row seats for just £110 (which are usually £176).
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The event ticket seller has also cut the £105 tickets down to £66.
The site also claims that they can get tickets from just £25 and that audience members could save £76 per ticket.
