Rylance Legacy Keenly Felt at Globe???

At a press conference today to announce his first season as the Globe’s new artistic director (See Today’s News), Dominic Dromgoole was quick to praise the achievements of his predecessor, Mark Rylance, who he said had helped to create “the most radical theatre in London” whose principles - in terms of cheap ticketing, education, audience development and artistic integrity – had been oft-imitated elsewhere. Perhaps most significantly, though, is that all this was done while also generating “dazzling” box office success. According to Dromgoole, over Rylance’s nine summer seasons, the open air theatre recorded an average of £1.5 million before tax profits on an annual turnover of £5 million. The consummate actor-manager, Rylance also starred in many Globe productions during his regime. Though Dromgoole hopes to lure him back to act in future, without Rylance on stage this summer, the Globe is already anticipating a dip in box office returns. So if matching profits isn’t the benchmark, how will Dromgoole measure his success? “If I’m still in the job” next year, he told Whatonstage.com today.

Got some goss? Contact gossip@whatsonstage.com

Related Content