Backlash over price of Elf tickets in London's West End

Tickets costing up to £250 to see the Elf musical in London's West End have been at the centre of a backlash on social media.

The most expensive tickets for the Dominion theatre show are £100 more than the equivalent for the Lion King.

Cheaper tickets for the musical, out in time for Christmas, cost a minimum of £50, but with a fee of £15 for each ticket booked online or over the phone.

A family of four booking the cheapest tickets would pay £267.

Many people expressed their anger at the prices on Twitter.

'Rather a holiday'

Gemma-Louise Fowler wrote: "Was looking forward to Elf the musical but the ticket prices are beyond ridiculous. Think I'll be giving it a miss for now!"

Joash wrote: "Wait why are Elf ticket prices so high!? £240 is extortionate! Calm down London."

And Chris Chilton wrote: "The Elf ticket prices are a total disgrace!! For a family show? I would rather take my kids on holiday."

Elf is a musical based on the film starring Will Ferrell. It is about a young orphan who crawls into Father Christmas's bag of presents and travels to the North Pole.

The show also outpriced several others such as Les Miserables at Queen's Theatre, where the ticket price ranges from approximately £16 to £159.

It also was more expensive than Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at the Drury Lane Theatre Royal, which costs between £23 and £121.

The producers of Elf, who decide the ticket prices, said: "Ticket prices are set according to the commercial terms and budgets for the show. These prices - like all things - will fluctuate depending on supply and demand.

"Elf is a large-budget show with only a ten-week run in the West End - and we have been delighted with the interest shown in this London premiere run."

David Pearson, general manager at the Dominion Theatre, said the decision to charge the commission to the public was the producer's, as the producer can either opt to pay the commission itself or charge the public.

He said the theatre charged 7% of the ticket price "regardless". "This is in line with other theatre companies," he added.