It is time for the National Theatre to appoint its first female artistic director, one of the sector’s leading figures has said with a decision on the most important job in British theatre expected within weeks.
Vicky Featherstone, who has run the influential Royal Court Theatre for a decade, said “of course” a woman should be given the job after the departure of Rufus Norris, the sixth white man to run the institution since its 1963 founding.
“As far as I am aware we [women] have been around the same amount of time as men,” Featherstone added. “Of course it is time there is another sort of view at the National.”
The announcement, which could come before Christmas, is the most eagerly awaited in the performing arts world, given the influence and importance of the role.
It has previously been held by giants of the industry — Laurence Olivier, Peter Hall, Richard Eyre, Trevor Nunn and Nicholas Hytner.
Featherstone, who became the Royal Court’s first female director in 2013 and who has said she has no immediate plans to run another building, is the most senior figure yet to outline their views on the post.
When he announced in June that he would step down in 2025 — which would mark a decade in the post — Norris said the board needed to be as “broad and inclusive as it can possibly be”.
He pointed out that different models had emerged in recent years, such as the Royal Shakespeare Company’s appointment this year of co-artistic directors; one man and one woman.
The job application states that the National Theatre is “open to any permutation of application” including joint applications and even suggested it could be a collective led by an individual.
Several people are thought to be in contention with Indhu Rubasingham, who this year announced her departure from London’s Kiln Theatre after a decade, considered a frontrunner.
Other contenders could be Josie Rourke, who has previously run the Donmar Warehouse and Bush Theatre to great acclaim; Lynette Linton, her successor at the Bush; and Erica Whyman, who was previously interim artistic director at the Royal Shakespeare Company.
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There are also however outstanding male candidates, including Clint Dyer, the National Theatre’s current deputy artistic director; Kwame Kwei-Armah of the Young Vic; as well as the white males — Rupert Goold, Matthew Warchus and Robert Hastie.
A great unknown however is whether an actor-director in the mould of the theatre’s founder, Laurence Olivier, has thrown their hat into the ring, or whether European directors such as Julia Wissert and Goran Injac would be seriously considered by the selection panel led by Damon Buffini, the theatre chairman.
Whoever is appointed would be expected to begin in post from 2024 on a part-time basis in preparation for their first season after Norris’ departure in spring 2025.
While the theatre is having a stellar year it, like all performing arts organisations, is in a difficult financial climate with the job application making clear that “fundraising is more important now than at any time in our history”.
Its annual Arts Council England grant has been cut by about 10 per cent with that £16m an increasingly small component of its £100m turnover. The new director, or directors, will also have to prepare to begin repayments of its £19.7m emergency Covid loan.
Featherstone, who was speaking as she launched the Royal Court’s groundbreaking Living Archive, which will hold information on every play presented at the theatre since its 1956 opening — 2,000 works by more than 1,000 writers — said Britain’s performing arts world had thrown up a range of outstanding candidates for the post.
“There are [so many] brilliant people so I have got no idea who it will be. I would be hopeful it would be a woman. Surely nobody would say no to that question? [should it now be a woman],” she said.
