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National Theatre generates record £100m income

By: Michael Quinn / THE STAGE NEWS (UK)

The Royal National Theatre. Photo: David Samuels

The National Theatre generated record-breaking income of £99.9 million in 2013/14, with ticket sales from NT Live screenings to cinemas at home and abroad increasing 179% from £2.4 million in 2012/13 to £6.7 million.

The theatre’s annual trading report, which covers the company’s 50th anniversary year and a marked broadening of its commercial activities, shows a 14.7% increase in income from the previous year’s £87 million despite box office revenues at its Southbank home remaining steady at £18.3 million.

The year saw audiences reach historically high levels in both the UK and worldwide, reaching 2.8 million and 4.3 million people respectively. The company produced 33 plays at its Southbank home and gave 3,149 performances worldwide during the year.

Ticket sales from NT Live screenings to cinemas at home and abroad saw a 179% increase, from £2.4 million in 2012/13 to £6.7 million.

Box office revenues from touring and international commitments, and a continuing presence in the West End, increased 29% to £39.7 million.

War Horse continued its strong financial run, netting the National £22.4 million between its West End residency in the New London theatre (which earned £13.1 million) and its UK tour (£9.3 million).

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time earned £6.8 million at the Apollo Theatre despite being curtailed by the collapse of the venue’s ceiling, while One Man Two Guvnors at the Theatre Royal Haymarket earned £6.4 million.

Box office revenues, including NT Live, now account for 65% of the National’s total income – a 6% improvement on the previous year. Income from commercial ventures delivered net earnings of £5.5 million.

Grant aid from Arts Council England was unchanged at £17.5 million although its contribution to total income fell by three points to 17%. The report claims that by 2017/18 its support from the public purse will have fallen by more than a third (37%) in real terms since 2010/11.

Overall expenditure costs rose 16% to £97.5 million, with production costs for touring, West End and international productions increasing by a third to £37.7 million.

The company broke even in trading but it claims it would have made a surplus of £1.3 million had the accident at the Apollo Theatre not caused the early closure of Curious Incident at the venue.

Welcoming the report, director Nicholas Hytner said it showed the company to be in “continuing rude health.”

Reference: THE STAGE NEWS (UK)