DATS president Jamie Foster said the decision to abandon planned performances on April 29 and 30 was disappointing but the well-known Alan Ayckbourn play would still go ahead at 8pm on Friday, May 6, and 2pm and 8pm on Saturday, May 7. An additional Mother's Day matinee had been scheduled for 2pm on Sunday, May 8.

Mr Foster said there had been "difficulty" selling tickets to live shows in Dubbo "in recent years".

"This lack of patronage isn't restricted to local theatre companies," he said.

"Professional touring productions have also experienced problems getting people to see their shows. As a result a number of big names have either had to reduce performances or cancel visits altogether."

Mr Foster said DATS had achieved great success with shows like Fawlty Towers and Allo Allo.

"But even then tickets were slow for the first performances," he said.

"People in Dubbo seem reluctant to make a commitment to buy tickets for the early shows and then after hearing positive word of mouth comments they rush to get seats for the final performances.

"Often these are sold out and people express disappointment about missing seeing what everyone is talking out."

Mr Foster said DATS had received criticism for concentrating on musicals and pantomimes and requests for more plays had resulted in the decision to run Bedroom Farce.

"We thought the response would be good because the play has similarities to Fawlty Towers with a fixed set and action jumping from room to room," he said.

"Sir Alan Ayckbourn is an incredibly talented playwright and director who has written and had performed more than 70 plays in the West End and Broadway.

"We were surprised when Bedroom Farce garnered little initial interest in Dubbo and the surrounding community.

"The response was so meagre that we had sold a total of only 150 seats across all six shows.

"Given the cost of using the Dubbo Regional Theatre the planned shows had to be reduced to just one weekend season rather than two."

Mr Foster said the base rate for the theatre was about $1200 a day. Technical fees were an additional $70 per hour.

He said in the "old days" of Dubbo Civic Centre the base rate was about $300 a day and technical sound, lighting and staging work was carried out free of charge by volunteers.

"We appreciate the brilliant facilities of the Dubbo Regional Theatre which has allowed us to really lift the calibre of our shows," Mr Foster said.

"But it has become something of a vicious circle because we need to see a certain number of seats to cover our costs.

"In the old Dubbo Civic Centre 250 seats used to be a full house - in the new theatre that isn't even half a house.

"As a theatre company we have to take a chance that we can cover our costs through patronage of our shows when we book our season, and potentially address shortcomings two to three weeks out from the first performance which is often before the local community consider purchasing their tickets.

"It's a lose-lose situation for both parties as the community has less chance of seeing quality theatre and the theatre company loses a performance (or more) for which they have rehearsed so hard for over the intervening weeks.

"The only way to address this issue is for the community to make an earlier commitment to patronise shows by purchasing tickets at an earlier date."

Tickets for Bedroom Farce are available at the Dubbo Regional Theatre box office or online at www.drtcc.com.au