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The Electric Picture House Cinema in Wotton-under-Edge has enjoyed an increase in audiences compared to the same period last year, during its first three months under new management.
Over April – June, during what has been a challenging time for cinemas across the country thanks to the sunny weather and competition of the World Cup, the cinema enjoyed a 16.5% rise in tickets sold compared to 2013. The rise was particularly pronounced in May, a period when cinemas nationally saw a decrease in attendance year on year.
Gareth Negus, Managing Director of the Cinema, said, “The summer is always a difficult period for independent cinemas like the Electric, and that’s been the case again this year. So we’re delighted with the level of support we’ve received from the local community.”
A large part of the increase has been down to the popularity of live theatre events on screen, particularly the encore screenings of the National Theatre’s A Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. This success is continuing into the summer, with the first screenings of NT Live’s Skylight and the Monty Python reunion shows selling out completely. Additional shows of both are now on sale, with the Pythons showing again on Friday 1 August at 7.30pm, and Skylight on Tuesday 12 August at 7pm.
Other live screenings coming later in the year include the National Theatre’s new production of Medea, and the West End hit Billy Elliot: the Musical in September. The National’s now-classic production of Frankenstein, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller, is returning to cinemas for Hallowe’en.
Gareth Negus said, “In order to secure a long-term future for the cinema, we had to set ourselves some ambitious targets. If we continue to bring more visitors into the cinema, then we’ll be showing films for many years to come.”
Tickets can be booked in advance through the cinema's website, www.wottoncinema.com. Advance tickets can also be purchased at the cinema during opening hours, or by calling 01453 844601.