Annual Review reveals that Shakespeare’s Globe increased income in 2011 with 40% of tickets remaining at £5
22 March 2012
Against a challenging economic climate, Shakespeare’s Globe last year saw its trading income rise by 11% and its operating income rise by 2%, and was still able to boast that 40% of its tickets cost only £5 each. In addition, over 14,000 free tickets were given to secondary schools across London and 6,000 tickets for two public performances, according to the Annual Review covering activities to the end of October 2011, the first since Neil Constable was appointed Chief Executive at the end of 2010. Shakespeare’s Globe, where more people encounter Shakespeare than any other theatre in the world, receives no direct annual government subsidy for its artistic and educational work relying on its ability to generate income and attract donations. The organisation has charitable status and any surplus income is reinvested in the long-term upkeep and further development of the Globe. Neil Constable, Chief Executive, commented: “Shakespeare’s Globe’s first priority is creative excellence and a commitment to a £5 ticket price which makes it accessible for all, combined with ambitious education programmes which bring schools here for free. The disciplined approach we take to fundraising and the rigorous management of our commercial activities help us to deliver this, and at the same time realise continued development, such as the new Indoor Jacobean Theatre, to establish this site on Bankside as the international Shakespeare centre of excellence.”
The theatre with 258 performances attended by 350,000 theatre-goers in 2011, achieved a capacity of 92% for the Shakespeare plays, All’s Well That Ends Well, As You Like It, Much Ado About Nothing, and Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus. The revival of the 2010 hit new play, Howard Brenton’s Anne Boleyn, was again enthusiastically received and two further new plays reinforced the Globe’s reputation for new writing, The Globe Mysteries and God of Soho. With touring extended to 42 venues in the UK, Europe and the US, 45,000 people enjoyed productions and a further four Globe productions were screened in over 250 cinemas worldwide.
Globe Education which tailors learning programmes, courses, and events for students of all ages from pre-school to postgraduate, made full use of the Sackler Studios, the new purpose built space for workshops and rehearsals. Over 80,000 students from 2,500 schools visited, 70% were repeat visits, endorsement that Globe Education’s approach, using active and creative teaching techniques learnt from actors, continues to inspire students and, according to teachers, improve behaviour and academic results.
As a result of Globe Education’s annual Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank’s production of Macbeth, almost 70% of state secondary schools in London have now seen a special production at the Globe for free. Commitment to the local community remained important, and the annual Our Theatre project enabled 400 local Southwark school children to perform on stage at the Globe in an ensemble production of The Tempest.
The exhibition and theatre tours brought 312,000 visitors to the Globe site, an increase of 13% on the previous year. With visitors from all over the world, an important introduction was the new audio guides available in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish included in the standard admission price. Written information is also provided in Dutch, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, and Russian.
A re-launched online retail presence and new products in the shop also helped boost sales. Catering and events, in partnership with Swan, saw income rise by 15%. The restaurant and bar are well established in their own right and Swan catered for almost 250 events which included corporate receptions, dinners and weddings.
The year marked the half-way stage in the fundraising campaign to build the Indoor Jacobean Theatre. During the year, a professional project team of architects and theatre historians began work on the design and planning. Construction work will begin later this year and the theatre is scheduled to open in November 2013.
An increased marketing budget saw a number of innovations. An active social media programme has attracted 40,000 followers on Facebook and Twitter, trailers for theatre plays were introduced, and a newly designed website have all contributed to the 2011 increase in trading income. 2012 sees the opening of the fifteenth theatre season at Shakespeare’s Globe on 21 April with Globe to Globe, an unprecedented programme of multi-lingual Shakespeare productions for the London 2012 festival. 37 international companies will present every one of Shakespeare’s plays in a different language over six weeks, concluding with the Globe’s own production of Henry V which will open the 2012 theatre season, ‘The Play’s The Thing’.
The new style Annual Review with added video footage is available exclusively online at www.shakespearesglobe.com
ENDS For further information contact Julia Hallawell, Press & PR Manager for Shakespeare’s Globe on +0044 207 902 1491 or email Julia.H@shakespearesglobe.com Rebecca Storey, Senior Press & PR Officer for Shakespeare’s Globe on +0044 207 902 1492 or email Rebecca.s@shakespearesglobe.com
Listings English Touring Theatre presents the Shakespeare’s Globe production of Anne Boleyn Supported by Arts Council England Touring March-May 2012 Cambridge Arts Theatre 15-17 March New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham 20-24 March Grand Theatre Blackpool 27-31 March Theatre Royal Brighton 3-7 April Hall for Cornwall, Truro 10-14 April Darlington Civic Theatre 17-21 April Malvern Theatres 24-28 April Theatre Royal Bath 1-5 May Festival Theatre, Edinburgh 8-12 May Shakespeare's Globe in association with Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse present Henry V Touring April-June 2012 Liverpool Playhouse 12 – 28 April New Theatre, Cardiff 1 – 5 May Oxford Playhouse 8 – 12 May Cambridge Arts Theatre 15 – 19 May Theatre Royal Bath 22 – 26 May Salisbury International Arts Theatre (Salisbury Playhouse) 29 May – 2 June Globe to Globe 2012 Part of the World Shakespeare Festival for the London 2012 Festival Celebratory opening weekend 21-22 April 37 plays in 37 different languages 23 April – 9 June For full listings, visit www.shakespearesglobe.com/globetoglobe Globe 2012 Theatre Season – The Play’s The Thing Henry V by William Shakespeare Produced by Shakespeare's Globe in association with Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse Directed by Dominic Dromgoole with Jamie Parker as Henry V From 7 June to 26 August The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare Directed by Toby Frow From 23 June to 13 October Richard III by William Shakespeare Produced by Shakespeare’s Globe, Sonia Friedman Productions and Shakespeare Road Directed by Tim Carroll, designed by Jenny Tiramani, music by Claire van Kampen, with Mark Rylance as Richard III From 14 July to 13 October Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare Produced by Shakespeare’s Globe, Sonia Friedman Productions and Shakespeare Road Directed by Tim Carroll, designed by Jenny Tiramani, music by Claire van Kampen, with Mark Rylance as Olivia From 22 September to 14 October
EDITORS NOTES
Globe Exhibition and Tour is open all year round. For more information visit www.shakespearesglobe.com/exhibition 2012 Shakespeare’s Globe will present Globe to Globe, a multi-lingual Shakespeare festival to celebrate the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games. Over the course of six weeks, starting on 21 April 2012, all of Shakespeare’s 37 plays will be performed in a different language, by different companies from around the world. Indoor Jacobean Theatre: Shakespeare’s Globe is currently fundraising to build an indoor Jacobean theatre, opening in 2013. For further information please visit www.shakespearesglobe.com/indoorjacobeantheatre Globe on Tour: The Globe’s productions tour the UK, Europe and America and the Globe is currently developing its touring schedule, as well as screening productions in cinemas. For more information www.shakespearesglobe.com/theatre/on-tour Globe Education presents a programme of workshops, lectures, events and staged readings all year round. For more information this programme of events call Globe Education 020 7902 1438 or visit www.shakespearesglobe.com/education Globe Shop stocks a variety of products, including theatre season specific merchandise. Shakespeare's Globe is a registered charity and all profits from sales go towards supporting our educational mission. Items can be bought at the onsite shop or online at www.shakespearesglobe.com/shop Swan at the Globe bar and restaurant is open all year round. For reservations please call 020 7928 9444. www.loveswan.co.uk The Shakespeare Globe Trust is a registered charity No.266916. Shakespeare’s Globe receives no public subsidy.