Losses narrowed at Dublin's Smock Alley Theatre last year on the back of a boost in box office receipts with directors confident the positive trend can be maintained.

Smock Alley, which bills itself as “Dublin’s oldest, newest theatre,” reported a €29,687 loss for the 12 months ending June 30th, 2015. This compares with a €97,238 loss a year earlier.

The theatre, which is based in Temple Bar, saw turnover rise 35 per cent from €576,889 to €776,542, with operating losses narrowing to €16,209 from €81,043.

Smock Alley, which sits on the site of what was the first custom-built theatre in Dublin, opened in 2012 after a €3.5 million investment. The original Smock Alley theatre opened in 1662 and operated until 1787.

Bar sales

Box office sales more than doubled to €182,311 compared with €69,803 a year earlier, while bar sales increased from to €237,766 from €210,995.

Rents received rose to €237,766 from €195,145, while Arts Council funding and grant income stayed stable at €25,000 and €75,552.

Donations jumped sharply, rising from just €1,410 to €19,713 last year.

Employee numbers at the theatre rose from 33 to 37 during the 12 months, with staff costs, including wages and salaries, increasing to €355,908 from €299,328 a year earlier.

Administrative expenses rose to €705,944 from €590,280, mainly due to employee-related costs.

Macbeth, Waiting for Godot and A Pair of New Eyes were among the productions put on at the theatre during the year under review.