Paul Mescal is making his long-awaited return to the West End stage – but his devoted fans seem to be paying the price.
The Irish actor, 28, is set to reprise his starring role in Tennessee Williams’s A Streetcar Named Desire for a limited West End run in February 2025.
Paul walked away from the play with a prestigious Olivier Award in hand as critics praised him for bringing a fresh ‘swagger’ to the role of Stanley Kowalski.
Now, fans of the Normal People star have been left scrambling for tickets to see the hunky actor before the acclaimed production moves to Broadway.
But many have been left aghast by the eyewatering prices of the tickets.
At the time of publication, providers such as TodayTix and Official London Theatre were advertising seats in both the stalls and royal circle of the Noël Coward Theatre for up to £250.
‘I wanna go see Paul Mescal in A Streetcar Named Desire but there is no way I’m paying those prices,’ one fan wrote on X.
She added: ‘We moan about gig tickets being extortionate but theatre tickets are going the same way!’
Paul Mescal stars as Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire alongside co-star Patsy Ferran
A second tweeted: ‘I love the theatre and supports the arts where I can afford but I cannot listen to how they are struggling for funding or getting people to go to shows anymore when a three-week long running play with Paul Mescal is selling tickets for a minimum of £250 each! How is this justifiable?’
Another fan said they were in a ‘bad mood’ after seeing the price tag on the sought-after seats, while others likened the ticketing experience to Taylor Swift and Oasis.
TodayTix and Official London Theatre have been contacted for comment.
Directed by Rebecca Frecknell, the dark and uncompromising new production revolves around Blanche Dubois and her rough-handed husband Stanley.
It opened to critical acclaim, with Paul citing it as his favourite play despite his initial doubts about stepping into the role made famous by Marlon Brando.
‘The anxiety is definitely attached to it being done so famously well, but I’m thinking that will go away,’ the Irish heartthrob said.
After completing a sold-out run of the play in early 2023, Paul admitted to Vanity Fair that he fell ill before his final weekend shows and he had to get a steroid shot in order to continue.
Paul said: ‘I lost my voice entirely on the last weekend. I got sick on the Thursday and it’s just – any sickness that gets into your body when you’re having to do that, I was wrecked.
‘So I had to take a steroid shot in my a** on Saturday to get through the two shows. I got through by the skin of my teeth.’
Fans have taken to X to express their outrage at the eyewatering prices of the tickets
Paul won the Olivier Award for Best Actor at The Royal Albert Hall in April 2023
The ticketing fiasco comes after Paul turned his new movie Gladiator II into a musical during his hosting appearance on Saturday Night Live this weekend.
The 28-year-old Irish actor is the leading man of the blood-soaked new historical epic, with a cast that includes Denzel Washington and Pedro Pascal.
However, in one of the sketches on Saturday Night Live, Paul and longtime show cast member Kenan Thompson put a goofy spin on the storyline.
The premise of the skit was that Moana 2 and Wicked: Part One have proven to be such monster successes that Gladiator II might also get a publicity boost if it were a musical.
‘After some rushed reshoots,’ 50 minutes of songs have been added to the movie – a sly nod to the lengthy two hour and 40 minute running time of the Wicked film.
Saturday’s sketch allowed Paul to show off his singing skills to full advantage – and fans have gone wild over his impressive crooning and dancing.
The Irish hunk has also chosen to sell his Gladiator press tour wardrobe on Vinted – with all the proceeds going to charity.
The award-winning actor is selling his shoes, jeans, jumpers and caps. Prices start at £160 and will be live from December 16.
The hand-picked collection includes one-off pieces that were custom-made for Paul as well as everyday luxury pieces from brands including Jimmy Choo, Av Vattev and B.W. Marks.
Paul Mescal will put his Gladiator press tour wardrobe on Vinted – with all the proceeds going to charity. The collection includes this cashmere crewneck jumper, which will go on sale for £575
Also up for sales is this custom hand painted knit henley made by emerging designer B.W Marks, which Paul wore in Sydney. It will go on sale at £250
‘Paul has always had a strong connection to vintage and pre-loved fashion,’ Felicity Kay, his stylist, said. ‘He’s often eager to rewear pieces we’ve styled before or items from his own wardrobe.
‘Partnering with Vinted for Paul’s Gladiator II promotion tour made perfect sense as it gave us the opportunity to delve deep into his love for second-hand clothes – in fact, I found a pair of Ben Davis workpants on Vinted, they fit Paul like a dream – no adjustments needed! They became one of his favourite pieces during the tour.
‘But we were equally both excited about finding a way to give the clothes he wore during his tour a second life, so selling them on Vinted felt like the perfect fit, especially with the added bonus of supporting a good cause.’
