Shakespeare's Globe reports bumper year

Shakespeare's Globe enjoyed record box office receipts in 2014 and achieved a ten percent share of total London play-going, according to South Bank venue's annual report.

The Globe achieved a 428,000 total audience during the 12 months to 31 October 2014, with recent SOLT figures reporting that plays accounted for an audience of four million during the same period.

The 2014 summer season achieved a capacity of 91 percent for its main Shakespeare productions and 97 percent capacity for its touring Shakespeare productions.

The box office has been boosted by the candlelit Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, which achieved 92 percent audience capacity and means the Globe now programmes year-round.

Turnover for the year (to 31 October 2014) was £22million, an increase of 1.6 percent on the previous year, achieving a surplus of £838,000.

The Globe is also the organisation which performs Shakespeare in more countries than any other, almost 700 performances in over 80 countries. This is thanks in no small part to its current tour of Hamlet, which is visiting every country in the world.

Chief executive Neil Constable said: "In 2014 Shakespeare was named by 18-30 year olds in Brazil, China, Germany, India and the US, as the person most associated with contemporary UK arts and Culture.

"Shakespeare's Globe is committed to leading original research, supporting study and celebrating Shakespeare's plays in performance – promoting and maintaining awareness for one of the UK's best known brands."

Forty percent of Globe tickets, 600 for each performance, remain at £5, priced as they were 18 years ago when the Globe first (re)opened.