RSC Annual Review and AGM for 2015/2016
The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) issued its latest annual review for 2015/16 at its AGM in Stratford-upon-Avon today. Link here: https://www.rsc.org.uk/annual-review
Artistic Director, Gregory Doran, and Executive Director, Catherine Mallyon, shared highlights from a year in which the Company celebrated Shakespeare’s 400th anniversary and reached more people than ever before.
During the year 2015/16, the RSC:
- produced 28 productions and co-productions, including seven Shakespeare plays and four new plays, which played in Stratford-upon-Avon, London, on tour across the UK and around the world
- sold 2.8m tickets worldwide for 2487 performances
- broadcast three Shakespeare productions ‘Live From Stratford-upon-Avon’ into cinemas in 17 countries around the world, reaching an audience of 131,000
- continued highly popular free Schools’ Broadcasts, with three Shakespeare productions, supported by live Q&As with the creative teams, reaching 35,000 students in their classrooms
- 600 years after the Battle of Agincourt, took Shakespeare’s ‘Great Cycle of Kings’ to London, Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, and New York, undertaking the Company’s first major tour to China
- marked Shakespeare’s 400th anniversary by touring A Midsummer Night’s Dream to every nation and region of the UK, with 84 amateurs as Bottom and the Mechanicals and 580 schoolchildren as Titania’s fairy train, in partnership with 13 theatres
- took productions of Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies to Broadway, securing 4 Tony nominations
- played four productions of Matilda The Musical on three continents, reaching 2m theatre goers - over 5m people have now seen the production worldwide, which has won over 70 international awards
- initiated 16 R&D projects with 115 theatre makers and opened a brand new studio theatre and creative hub, The Other Place
- restored the oldest part of its Stratford home, the beautiful Swan Wing
The Company also achieved breadth and depth in audience reach:
- attracting new audiences - 33% of audiences were new to the RSC
- attracting younger audiences - 34% were aged 16-44
- doubling access performances - with 39 captioned, 44 audio described, 2 relaxed and 4 BSL signed performances and selling more than 16k disability rate tickets
- winning audience approval - 97% of bookers rated the RSC’s work as good, very good or excellent
- giving a great first experience of Shakespeare to over 530,000 children in 1800 schools through RSC Education programmes
- continuing the Company’s decade-long Learning and Performance Network (LPN) with 11 regional theatres and 507 primary, secondary and special schools in areas of disadvantage
- 100% of LPN schools said the programme had increased student confidence; 96% said participation had helped them engage hard to reach students, 96% said it had raised the schools’ profile in the local community
- reaching a global audience of over 6 million through performances, events, activities, day visits, in cinemas, schools and online
It was another successful year financially:
- ·overall turnover income was a total of £81.3m, up from £61.8m in the previous year – largely as a result income and corresponding expenditure for the Australian co-production of Matilda The Musical
- 77% of income was self-generated, with box office revenue increasing to £35.1m, trading income to £24.2m and fundraising to £3.7m
- Arts Council England investment totalled £15.4m and theatre tax relief contributed £1.4m to new productions, including live screenings into cinemas and schools. The RSC is grateful to Arts Council England for its continued support.
- significant, but temporary, income from Matilda The Musical allowed investment in the restoration of the Swan Wing, the new studio theatre The Other Place, redevelopment of our digital platforms, and in the Company’s plans to extend its reach for the 2016 celebrations of Shakespeare’s 400th anniversary, as well as a transfer to reserves for strategic investment in future artistic projects
Gregory Doran and Catherine Mallyon said:
“As we celebrate 400 years of Shakespeare, never has he been more relevant. We are proud that this year we have shared his work and influence with a wider audience than ever before, giving more people the opportunity to be connected with his words.
“We have had a successful year, buoyed by strong box office, commercial and philanthropic income, and the extraordinary phenomenon which is Matilda The Musical. All these factors have allowed us to invest in a broad, rich and contemporary body of work, which has drawn in new and more diverse audiences around the country and across the world. This has only been possible as a result of strong partnerships with artists, theatres, cultural organisations, schools, sponsors, supporters and investors who have brought their creative talents to bear on our shared mission to ensure Shakespeare is for everyone. We thank them all for their huge contribution.
In particular, we owe an enormous debt of gratitude to Lady Susie Sainsbury of Turville CBE, who stands down as our Deputy Chairman. In recognition of her unparalleled commitment to the Company, most especially her care and concern for our artists and staff colleagues over so many years, we are delighted that Lady Sainsbury has agreed to become Artists’ Associate.”
The RSC also announced the appointment of new Board members and Governors. Mark Smith and Mark Thompson joined the RSC Board. Sir David Bell, Anita Bhalla CBE, Professor Ruru Li, and Sue Stapely became RSC Governors. See notes to editors for biographical info.
For further information, please contact jane.ellis@rsc.org.uk 01789 412668 or liz.thompson@rsc.org.uk 01789 412667
For images, please register at www.rsc.org.uk/press-images
Link to Annual Review: https://www.rsc.org.uk/annual-review
Notes to editors:
The RSC is supported using public funding by Arts Council England.
The RSC Acting Companies are generously supported by THE GATSBY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION and THE KOVNER FOUNDATION
The work of the RSC Literary Department is generously supported by THE DRUE HEINZ TRUST
The Swan Wing and The Play’s The Thing were generously supported by the HERITAGE LOTTERY FUND, GARFIELD WESTON FOUNDATION, DCMS/WOLFSON MUSEUMS & GALLERIES IMPROVEMENT FUND, THE WOLFSON FOUNDATION and others.
The Other Place was possible thanks to the support of private and public funders, including very generous donations from ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND, THE GATSBY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, BACKSTAGE TRUST, J PAUL GETTY JR CHARITABLE TRUST and a new creative partnership with the University of Birmingham, Founding Partner of The Other Place.
Live from Stratford-upon-Avon is generously supported by SIDNEY E. FRANK FOUNDATION
A Midsummer Night’s Dream: A Play for the Nation was supported by Arts Council England Cross-Border Touring Fund
We are very grateful to the following partners for the generous support of our work:
BP’s support of £5 tickets for 16-25 year olds
J.P. Morgan the Global Tour Premier Partner for King and Country, Shakespeare’s Great Cycle of Kings international tour
Interbrand Sponsor of Death of a Salesman
Samsung RE: Shakespeare app
Virgin Media support of Free Schools’ Broadcasts
The Royal Shakespeare Company creates theatre at its best, made in Stratford-upon-Avon and shared around the world. We produce an inspirational artistic programme each year, setting Shakespeare in context, alongside the work of his contemporaries and today’s writers.
Everyone at the RSC - from actors to armourers, musicians to technicians - plays a part in creating the world you see on stage. All our productions begin life at our Stratford workshops and theatres and we bring them to the widest possible audience through our touring, residencies, live broadcasts and online activity. So wherever you experience the RSC, you experience work made in Shakespeare’s home town.
We have trained generations of the very best theatre makers and we continue to nurture the talent of the future. We encourage everyone to enjoy a lifelong relationship with Shakespeare and live theatre. We reach 530,000 children and young people annually through our education work, transforming their experiences in the classroom, in performance and online. Registered charity no. 212481 www.rsc.org.uk.
Biographies for appointments to RSC Board and Governors:
Mark Smith is a Senior Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Birmingham and was the Chairman of their business in the Midlands from 2008 to 2015. He joined Price Waterhouse in 1985 before qualifying as a chartered accountant in 1988. He holds a first class degree in Economics from the University of Manchester.
Mark Thompson became President and Chief Executive Officer of The New York Times Company in November 2012. Since that time, he has directed the Company’s strategy and presided over an expansion of its digital and global operations. Prior to that, he served as Director-General of the BBC from 2004, where he ensured that it remained a leading innovator with the launch of services like the BBC iPlayer.
Sir David Bell was appointed as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Reading in January 2012. In August 2016 he also joined the Board of Universities UK, and is the principal channel of communication with the Higher Education Funding Council, other universities, outside bodies and the general public.
Anita Bhalla CBE is currently Chair of Performances Birmingham plc (Town Hall and Symphony Hall), Chair of Creative City Partnership, Director of Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership), Non-Executive Director of Birmingham Women’s Hospital and Chancellor of Birmingham Children’s University.
Professor Ruru Li is Senior Lecturer in the Department of East Asian Studies at the University of Leeds. She has BA and MA degrees from the Shanghai Theatre Academy, and a PhD in Drama and Theatre from the University of Leeds.
Sue Stapely is a solicitor and independent strategic communications consultant, specialising in reputation, crisis and issues management. Before operating independently, she worked primarily with strategic communications consultancy, Quiller Consultants. Sue's first career was with BBC TV's drama department and she has served on many arts boards including the Royal Court, Brighton Dome & Festival and LAMDA.