The Box Office Data Report 2004 states that there were 12,016,233 visits to the theatre. That marks a 3.7 percent rise from 2003, although 2002’s 12,064,100 is the only year to have beaten 2004. According to a summary on the SOLT website, attendances peaked in early June. And, there’s also cheering news for those who accuse London theatre of all-but-ignoring new plays — in fact, 41.4 percent of plays in featured theatres were for new writing. The year featured such acclaimed new works as Michael Frayn’s Democracy and the Almeida’s Festen.
The report itself can be purchased from SOLT, priced £45 excluding postage and packaging. For more information, call (0)20 7557 6700 or visit www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk.
