“Selling tickets with ID is not yet possible.” Puppet Theater comments on ticket frenzy
Tickets for the most sensational productions by Yauhen Karnyag sell out faster than those for concerts by global superstars. But how do you snag the coveted ticket?
Children's plays are also not lagging behind in auditorium occupancy: at least until January 7, not a single seat is left across the entire playbill, reports Onliner.by.
Nevertheless, theatergoers continue to keep vigil on the website to snatch a ticket within a matter of seconds, and they concoct conspiracy theories claiming that the hype is artificial and all seats are pre-allocated among “insiders.”
Following another wave of indignation on social media, Alena Kazakova, the chief administrator of the theater, provided detailed comments on the situation during an ONT broadcast. According to her, the Puppet Theater is currently experiencing a peak in popularity—attendance figures have surged at least tenfold.
— For the actors, it is a compliment; for the administration, it is a problem. The entire theater is talking about it, and we are worried about the current situation.
The “Hunger Games” that people must endure while trying to get a ticket are attributed by the theater primarily to the small seating capacity of the auditorium. 236 seats on the scale of Minsk is very few. However, the administration does not plan to expand the venue or relocate productions to other stages.
“The performances would lose their artistic value,” explained Alena Kazakova.
Currently, tickets go on sale without prior announcement. This is done to prevent the website from crashing even before the seats become available. Usually, on the so-called “Day X,” more than 20,000 people storm the website.
As Kazakova noted, sales open as soon as the technical team is ready, and even the cashiers and administrators themselves do not know when this will happen.
— We come to work as usual, and at a certain moment, we are simply given the green light.
One of the most popular solutions suggested by Belarusians on social media is to significantly raise prices. However, the theater does not intend to do this yet—“out of respect for the audience.”
Selling tickets with ID is also not yet possible, as this is not provided for by legislation.
Another sore point is scalpers who resell tickets at several times their face value. According to Kazakova, an active crackdown is being carried out against them.
— We contacted the Main Department of Internal Affairs (GUVD). An investigation was conducted, and I know that such individuals were identified and held accountable. There are rumors suggesting that the theater itself is involved [in ticket reselling]. This is very unpleasant. We truly have nothing to do with it.