The National Theatre General Thread

[samuelwhiskers]

Jun 2, 2023 17:56:39 GMT Someone in a tree said:

If the AD resigns surely the post has to go through the usual process that all public sector job go through?

Maybe X is already lined up but still a process needs to be applied - doesn't it ?

In theory, but in practise it's lip service. It's like the Royal Court, they advertised the AD role on the website, anyone could have applied, but in reality people get the hand on the shoulder and the conversations with serious contenders start months or years before the job is officially open. Anyone going online and submitting an application is unlikely to be considered, it's just there to fulfil the legal requirement. There are some theatres that are more equitable and do assess all applications, but not the really big theatres. I feel like a jaded cynic now!

[princeton]

My guess is that Indhu Rubasingham will be announced as Joint Deputy Director alongside Clint Dyer from the start of 2024 which will put either of them (or indeed both if they follow the RSC model) in pole position to succeed Rufus Norris. There would still have to be an open appointment process but they would look like the preferred candidates from the outset.

It would also help explain why The Father and The Assassin, which I thought was great but didn't set the box office alight, is making a return to the Olivier theatre. Proven ability to direct on that huge stage is definitely a plus point for any incoming AD (she's also directed in the Lyttleton and the Dorfman).

[Rory]

I think the Annual Press Conference is this Thursday, 15th. Exciting!

[zahidf]

Jun 3, 2023 18:06:11 GMT lynette said:

Not sure I would have confidence in Rubasingham considering the situation which lost them a lot of support that she presided over at The Tricycle now Kiln.

Hasn't really effected them long term it seems. Kiln seems to sell out more than not, and good shows critically.

[bordeaux]

No chance of Marianne Elliott going for it? Or Dominic Cooke? They are the directors whose next production I'm most looking forward to these days.

[teamyali]

Both Marianne and Dominic now lead their own production companies - Dominic started his around the start of the pandemic (The Normal Heart was Fictionhouse’s first production (co-produced with NT), and currently Rock Follies at the Chichester is also a Fictionhouse prod). Marianne is about to start her feature film directorial debut.


Would leading a commercial production company be a conflict of interest as an artistic director of the National? I see most of the notable West End directors are venturing on their own (Dom, Marianne, Grandage, Jeremy Herrin, Jamie Lloyd).

[couldileaveyou]

Jun 12, 2023 10:45:22 GMT bordeaux said:

No chance of Marianne Elliott going for it? Or Dominic Cooke? They are the directors whose next production I'm most looking forward to these days.

I was thinking of Marianne Elliott too, especially since no woman has directed the NT before. She can attract big names and gave the NT some of its biggest hits in the past 15 years or so. But I guess it'd get in the way with her freelance career and producing company

[Dave B]

Lynette Linton?

Bush Theatre has done really well under her. She has done great and very well received work in West End, Globe and NT. I think she'd be just fab.

[londonpostie]

Can you imagine the internet furore if Clint Dyer - with some directorial but no AD experience - doesn't now get it: can we really see a white person - male or female - being brought in above a black Deputy AD?

The Gov would have to set up a helpline for distraught white, middle-class, managerial / professional liberals.

Rubasingham, Dyer or, outside bet, Nadia Fall. Not all of whom fill me with joy.

[Jon]

Do you need AD experience to run the National? Hytner didn't and neither did Norris, it's unlikely but it'd be good to see an AD who is a producer rather than a director.

[theoracle]

I agree above that the next AD should be a woman and ideally a woman under 50 to show progressiveness of the NT. my first choice would be Lyndsey Turner but am also keen on Polly Findlay. I also

[Jan]

Jun 12, 2023 18:11:01 GMT Jon said:

Do you need AD experience to run the National? Hytner didn't and neither did Norris, it's unlikely but it'd be good to see an AD who is a producer rather than a director.

The most successful, artistically and commercially (transfers etc.), NT ADs - Peter Hall and Hytner - were both very good directors themselves and brilliant producers. I think for the NT that's essential. For a smaller theatre you can get by with someone who is just a director, or more uncommonly just a producer (eg. David Lan at the Young Vic).

Hytner said something interesting which is that during his time he programmed several plays that he personally hated - to fill the NT you need to programme a wide range of stuff some of which is purely populist/entertaining even if it's not to your personal taste. The mistake Norris made was to programme as if it was a politically committed humourless fringe theatre although under economic pressure from Covid he's improved a bit more recently - I expect they'll make exactly the same mistake again in their next appointment. I think Rupert Goold would be the best candidate (from the very short list of directors who might actually want it) but he has no chance at all of getting it so I imagine he won't apply - a problem is that all those candidates who could programme with an eye to commercial hits (Grandage, Elliott, Jamie Lloyd etc.) are already firmly in the commercial sector. 

[oxfordsimon]

Given how the job is much more than just directing plays, it needs to go to someone who has run a theatre building before. Someone who looks beyond the rehearsal room and the auditorium. Someone who balances creative risk with audience retention and building. Someone who can nurture new talent and attract existing big hitters. Someone who values our shared theatrical heritage as well as being able to identify new writing with real quality. Someone who is a passionate advocate for quality theatre and not someone who wants to use the NT to push other agendas.


And very importantly, someone who will not use the job to give work to their partner. The culture of nepotism has to end.

It is, in essence, almost an impossible task for one person to undertake.

I absolutely understand the desire to see a major national company helmed by a woman. It is long overdue. But if the best candidate was a man, I could live with that. It is the quality of the vision that is most important.

Maybe a joint appointment is the right way forward. As long as one of them isn't the outgoing acting AD of the RSC...

[Someone in a tree]

Good point Jan I suspect ballet companies are sick of Nutcracker's and Carmen but it's bums on seats and not issues that the AD wants to rally against

[Jan]

Jun 13, 2023 10:15:14 GMT Someone in a tree said:

Good point Jan I suspect ballet companies are sick of Nutcracker's and Carmen but it's bums on seats and not issues that the AD wants to rally against

Norris is not entirely to blame, the NT board updated their requirements to include one that says plays staged should be “relevant”. If you look historically at their hits a lot of them have been “irrelevant”, One Man Two Guvnors for example.

[n1david]

Jun 13, 2023 11:29:50 GMT Jan said:

One Man Two Guvnors for example.

Oh I dunno, the need for a portfolio career, multiple jobs in order to be able to feed oneself seems quite appropriate for the current age...

[max]

What about Tom Morris? He had a long and largely successful stint at Bristol Old Vic, and is about to be represented in the West End again (first time since 'The Grinning Man') with 'Dr Semmelweis'. That play shows that people like Mark Rylance want to work with him - and attracting top actors has been some people's concern for the National Theatre, suggesting it's lost some pulling power.

[nottobe]

I'd like to see a producer as the next AD. I'm not sure who but I think it would be a wise choice. I feel certain too that it will be a female AD.

[Jon]

Jun 13, 2023 18:21:03 GMT max said:

What about Tom Morris? He had a long and largely successful stint at Bristol Old Vic, and is about to be represented in the West End again (first time since 'The Grinning Man') with 'Dr Semmelweis'. That play shows that people like Mark Rylance want to work with him - and attracting top actors has been some people's concern for the National Theatre, suggesting it's lost some pulling power.

I'm not sure if the National has lost its pulling power. Sam Mendes has directed a number of plays there for example such as The Motive and The Cue. There's no shortage of actors who want to work at the National. 

[cirque]

Tom Morris is perfect for the role in every way

[Jan]

Jun 13, 2023 19:16:49 GMT cirque said:

Tom Morris is perfect for the role in every way

Except he’s a middle-aged white male. Rupert Goold too. I mean even the Orange Tree were a bit defensive about appointing Tom Littler who was also perfect for the role and they didn’t have to justify the appointment to ACE.

[bordeaux]

I'm no great fan of Rufus Norris but if the advance word anything to go by, then with Dear England the NT has a third outstanding new play on its hands in one year, after Phaedra and The Motive and the Cue, an impressive feat.

To put that in context: the NT hasn't won an Olivier for best new play since Curious Incident in 2013. Looking back I see that in 2004 it had three nominees for best play: The Pillowman, Democracy and Elmina's Kitchen. 2002 they had Jitney (bought in), Humble Boy and Vincent in Brixton (and I thought the last two were overrated). 1998 they had The Invention of Love (Stoppard), Closer (Marber) and Amy's View (Hare). 1991 had Dancing at Lughnasa (bought in), White Chameleon (Christopher Hampton, very disappointing) and Trackers of Oxyrhynchus (Tony Harrison, arguably not new!). So, this year is a very strong year for writing from the NT.

[zahidf]

Jun 14, 2023 13:08:14 GMT bordeaux said:

I'm no great fan of Rufus Norris but if the advance word anything to go by, then with Dear England the NT has a third outstanding new play on its hands in one year, after Phaedra and The Motive and the Cue, an impressive feat.

To put that in context: the NT hasn't won an Olivier for best new play since Curious Incident in 2013. Looking back I see that in 2004 it had three nominees for best play: The Pillowman, Democracy and Elmina's Kitchen. 2002 they had Jitney (bought in), Humble Boy and Vincent in Brixton (and I thought the last two were overrated). 1998 they had The Invention of Love (Stoppard), Closer (Marber) and Amy's View (Hare). 1991 had Dancing at Lughnasa (bought in), White Chameleon (Christopher Hampton, very disappointing) and Trackers of Oxyrhynchus (Tony Harrison, arguably not new!). So, this year is a very strong year for writing from the NT.

Id say this year, Hex aside, has been very strong at the national. 

[bordeaux]

Jun 12, 2023 17:01:07 GMT londonpostie said:

Can you imagine the internet furore if Clint Dyer - with some directorial but no AD experience - doesn't now get it: can we really see a white person - male or female - being brought in above a black Deputy AD?

The Gov would have to set up a helpline for distraught white, middle-class, managerial / professional liberals.

Rubasingham, Dyer or, outside bet, Nadia Fall. Not all of whom fill me with joy.

But Clint Dyer has hardly directed anything of note, it appears to me; just an Othello at the NT and a Roy Williams play.  It's surprising to me that he is Deputy AD at all with that track record.  To be AD you need lots of experience in directing the canon at a high level, plus new plays, with a bit of showmanship (an ability to direct the occasional hit that will transfer).  

[Jon]

Jun 14, 2023 16:59:18 GMT bordeaux said:

Jun 12, 2023 17:01:07 GMT londonpostie said:

Can you imagine the internet furore if Clint Dyer - with some directorial but no AD experience - doesn't now get it: can we really see a white person - male or female - being brought in above a black Deputy AD?

The Gov would have to set up a helpline for distraught white, middle-class, managerial / professional liberals.

Rubasingham, Dyer or, outside bet, Nadia Fall. Not all of whom fill me with joy.

But Clint Dyer has hardly directed anything of note, it appears to me; just an Othello at the NT and a Roy Williams play.  It's surprising to me that he is Deputy AD at all with that track record.  To be AD you need lots of experience in directing the canon at a high level, plus new plays, with a bit of showmanship (an ability to direct the occasional hit that will transfer).  

Is it necessary to have directed Shakespeare to be considered for the AD job National? 

To me, an Artistic Director of a theatre company doesn't necessarily have to be a director, that's the case in New York where Andre Bishop is the AD of Lincoln Center Theatre and is more of a producer, likewise the late Todd Haimes at Roundabout and in the UK we have the likes of David Babani and Paul Taylor Mills.