Indhu Rubasingham has been named as the first-ever female artistic director of the National Theatre in London. She will be taking over from Rufus Norris in 2025, coming to the position from Kiln theatre in north-west London where she has been the director for over a decade. Rubasingham is renowned in the industry and was considered by many to be the favourite to succeed Norris. Born in Sheffield with Sri-Lankan heritage, she has been widely recognised as a successful theatre-maker and is a regular collaborator with best-selling author Zadie Smith. Rubasingham has directed a number of plays at the National Theatre over the past 25 years.
Commenting on her appointment, Rubasingham said that she was thrilled to be joining the National Theatre and playing a part in its history. “Theatre has a transformative power, the ability to bring people together through shared experience and storytelling, and nowhere more so than the National,” she said. Norris also spoke about his admiration for Rubasingham as an artist and stated that her experience at the Kiln theatre would be invaluable as she moves to the National, which is a place that she already knows well from previous successful directing stints.
Rubasingham’s appointment is a significant milestone for the National Theatre, which has only ever had male artistic directors since its founding by Sir Laurence Olivier in 1963. According to Arifa Akbar, the Guardian’s chief theatre critic, all its artistic bosses up to this point have been “posh white men”. Rubasingham’s appointment therefore ushers in a new era of inclusivity and diversity for the institution, which will no doubt be welcomed by many in the industry and beyond.
Sir Damon Buffini, the chair of the National Theatre, described Rubasingham as having “a proven record of strong leadership and artistic success, alongside a commitment to bringing theatre to diverse audiences and broadening access to creative education”. This approach aligns perfectly with the ethos of the National Theatre and its mission to make theatre accessible to all. Rubasingham’s appointment is therefore not only an overdue milestone for the institution, but also a fitting continuation of its proud history of excellence
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