Theatre News

National Theatre's chair steps down

The theatre also announced their annual review for 2014-2015

The National Theatre
The National Theatre
© James Stringer

The National Theatre have today announced that John Makinson will step down as chairman in 2016.

Makinson joined the board in 2008, succeeding chairman Hayden Phillips in 2010. The National will now search for a new chair with the new appointment to be taken up next summer.

John Makinson commented: "It will be hard to say farewell to the National Theatre but, having seen the ambitious NT Future renovation project through to a successful conclusion, I know the time is right. By the time I step down next summer I will have served eight years on the NT’s Board, most of it in the privileged role of chairman."

The news comes after the National Theatre's annual review for 2014-2015 was released. Key figures from the report indicated that the theatre’s worldwide paying audience was 4.1million with more people watching touring National Theatre productions than at the South Bank. 46 per cent of the UK audience of 2.9million were outside London.

From their 25 productions over 2014-2015, the National enjoyed a 90 per cent audience attendance rate with 29 per cent being first time bookers. Thirteen world and UK premieres featured in the programme with shows including David Byrne and Fatboy Slim’s hit musical Here Lies Love and Man and Superman starring Ralph Fiennes.

Major elements of the NT Future redevelopment were completed during the year, with the opening of the Dorfman Theatre, Clore Learning Centre and Max Rayne Centre and the National reported a net surplus of £1.3m was achieved on an income of £117m, of which 68 per cent was box office receipts. Arts Council funding represented 15 per cent of turnover.

The year also marked Nicholas Hytner‘s final year as director and Nick Starr’s as executive director.