The National in the black

The National Theatre has announced an operating surplus of £674,000 for the past financial year, reports The Stage Newsblog.

...the financial success was achieved largely on the back of two shows, in particular, that had a long life: The History Boys, that became "a box office phenomenon" (and the National jealously safe-guarded to itself, keeping it in the repertoire for over a year, and even next week hosting its return in an entirely re-cast production that will then go out on an 8-week national tour); and the return of His Dark Materials, that sold out for the second year running but the production costs of which were essentially already paid for.