The Abbey's production of Sean O'Casey's Plough and the Starscontributed to a reversal in fortunes last year for the theatre company.
Yesterday the Abbey's financial director, Declan Cantwell, said the O'Casey play and Frank McGuinness's new version of Henrik Ibsen's John Gabriel Borkmanwere last year's two big hits, contributing to an 18 per cent rise in box office receipts to €2.79 million.
Mr Cantwell was commenting on financial results for the Abbey Theatre Amharclann Na Mainistreach showing that the company recorded a €240,376 profit last year after recording a loss of €1.8 million in 2009.
Mr Cantwell said the 2010 performance “reflected the benefits of the restructuring plan and delivered the outcome we were looking for”.
The €1.3 million spent on restructuring was the main reason behind the Abbey recording the €1.8 million loss in 2009 and has led to a 15 per cent reduction in staff numbers at the theatre.