Musical closing; bombings cited

“The Far Pavilions,” an $8.1-million London musical that explored ethnic identity, is closing after a plunge in ticket sales following last month’s bombings.

The production, which told the story of illicit love between a British officer and an Indian princess, will end its five-month run at Shaftesbury Theatre on Sept. 17, producer Michael Ward said Monday.

Ticket sales for “The Far Pavilions” dropped 25% after the attacks -- a loss of 150 to 200 seats each performance, Ward said.

The closure is the first big one to hit London’s West End -- the British equivalent to Broadway -- in the weeks after the July 7 terrorist attacks in London. Theater officials said that West End productions are experiencing a drop in attendance.

“It is tough out there, and many shows are experiencing a downturn,” said Paul James, commercial manager with the Society of London Theatre. James said that attendance had been up 10% over last year. Those figures fell after the bombings, with attendance dropping 2% compared to last year.