The lovable, cheeky British cartoon character is a huge hit among preschoolers, which was evident by their screams of excitement during the performance, and had parents forking out a standard $34.90 each for both adults and children for a spot at one of three matinees.

Orange mother Carly Duncan said her daughter Chelsea was a huge fan of the pink pig, and watched the show on ABC’s iView tablet application whenever she could.

“I thought the audience participation during the show was fantastic. The kids loved it, as I’m sure you can imagine,” Ms Duncan said.

“Chelsea’s favourite part was the glowing sea creatures.”

Ms Duncan said the $110 she paid for three tickets online was expensive, but said because she bought the tickets five months ago it was hard to see the relation between cost and enjoyment.

“I do believe the prices were over the top, but that’s not the fault of the Orange Civic Theatre people, it’s those who run the show,” she said. 

Bathurst parent Amy Munro and her daughter Ava travelled to Orange so Ava could see her favourite television character live on stage at a time that fitted into Ms Munro’s schedule.

“She’s liked it for ages, ever since it began really,” Ms Munro said.

“She loves the story. I think she loves the extended family, the cousins and the grandparents.”

Ms Munro said she would not have paid the cost of fuel, two tickets and merchandise if her daughter did not adore Peppa Pig.

“It would be nice to have a kids’ price, but she loves it so it’s worth it,” Ms Munro said.

“I think people pay it anyway because the kids love it.”

Producer of the live puppet show Anton Berezin said the show had travelled from London’s West End and that Orange residents paid almost half of what their counterparts in major cities did.

“It’s relatively inexpensive,” Mr Berezin said.

“It’s almost double in major cities. I think the top ticket price in Melbourne was close to $60. We’re at the mercy of the venues’ prices unfortunately.”

alexandra.king@fairfaxmedia.com.au