Trained as an actor at Rada before turning to directing, Rufus Norris has since gone on to direct acclaimed productions such as London Road and Amen Corner. In April 2015 he will take over from Nicholas Hytner as artistic director of the National Theatre.
When I was just finishing off my training at Rada, I met a friend who was working as a stage manager at the National Theatre. We had a long evening in the green room, where all the actors were coming in from different shows and intermingling – I sensed the fantastic community spirit in this building way back then, and I set my mind to how I might one day be part of that. The people who work here, the energy and their commitment and the support system are fantastic.
The studio next to the Old Vic is the engine room for so much of the innovation that takes place here. It's such an extraordinary resource that unfortunately is unique in British theatre, and that's what really makes the National Theatre the place that I consider my creative home.
The National Theatre has been a series of pinnacles in my creative work. Every one of the shows that I've done here has been incredibly personal and special to me, but the one that stands out from all of them is London Road. I can't take credit for it, because the genius was in the work of Alecky Blythe and Adam Cork, but it was such a powerful and ground-breaking piece that, for me, rewrote the book on musical theatre. That kind of project could only have happened here. It was life-changing and really made me think there's very important work to be done. You can see how the creativity and the empowerment through self-expression that's done in our theatres is really contributing to the culture of this country.
