Hacked off that I’m paying!!

Well it would certainly have been better that way doodle but I still would always say ‘how much’ to anything I was given unless they said ‘I ve got a present for you’
If a friend said I ve just been shopping and know you d love these I say ‘ oh thanks so much, what do I owe you’ and then they say say ‘nothing it’s a present’ or they say £5 ! We all know where we are then,
Maybe it’s an affluent thing if people don’t have a problem with prices they don’t think others have either

When the good friend asked you for the full price of the ticket, what did you reply? That would be the time to have negotiated the price of the ticket. By now it is too late you either stump up the money which you say you can afford or let both your friends down. Your choice. As you say Lesson Learnt.

I would ask the theatre if they can resell. Mine has been able to do this at times.
Otherwise the money is lost anyway so I take pleasure in giving them to someone. However if I wasn't well off, I would take some payment if offered.