That’s entertainment! Musicals lift spirits on London West End’s stages

Shows with a feelgood factor are boosting box-office takings

I simply remember my favourite things and then I don't feel so bad," sang Maria among the mountains in The Sound of Music, introducing to the world one of the most memorable musical lines of all time. Uplifting sentiments like these now seem to have set sales of tickets to musicals in the West End of London soaring to new heights, with pundits suggesting two years of misery have left people desperate to lift their spirits.

Box-office figures from the Society of London Theatre (Solt) reveal that, since the beginning of the year, West End musicals outperformed their 2019 equivalents in 20 out of 22 weeks for attendance and 19 out of 22 for revenue. There are fewer plays than in 2019, which might partly explain the strong sales, but people in the industry think it's more than that.