Sir Rufus John Norris (born 16 January 1965) is a British theatre and film director, who was the artistic director and chief executive of the National Theatre from 2015 to 2025. He received the Society of London Theatre Special Award in 2025 for his services to theatre.
Personal life Norris grew up in Africa and Malaysia, attended North Bromsgrove High School and Kidderminster College of Further Education, and later trained as an actor at RADA before turning to directing.
Norris has been in a relationship with playwright Tanya Ronder since the 1980s. After Norris' retirement from the National Theatre, the couple moved from London to Fife.
Career In 2001 he won the Evening Standard Award for Outstanding Newcomer for his production of David Rudkin's Afore Night Come at the Young Vic.
In 2004, Norris won another Evening Standard Award, a Critic's Circle Award and an Olivier Award nomination for Best Director, for his production of Festen.
In 2006 he made his National Theatre debut directing Market Boy by David Eldridge. From 2002 to 2007 Norris was an Associate Director at the Young Vic, where his productions have included Feast by Yunior Garcia Aguilera, Rotimi Babatunde, Marcos Barbosa, Tanya Barfield and Gbolahan Obisesan (2013), Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre (2007), adapted by Tanya Ronder (2009 and 2011), Hergé's Adventures of Tintin, which Norris adapted, with David Greig (Barbican, 2005; UK tour & West End, 2007) and his own adaptation of Sleeping Beauty (Young Vic, 2002; Barbican, 2004, UK & international tour).
His production of the Kander and Ebb musical Cabaret, produced by Bill Kenwright, ran at the Lyric Theatre in London's West End from 2006 to 2008. The production toured in 2008 and 2009 before being revived at the Savoy Theatre in 2012, followed by another UK tour. Another UK tour began in 2017.
In 2009, Norris's first film King Bastard, written by his wife Tanya Ronder, was produced by BBC Films. In the same year, he directed the National Theatre's production of Wole Soyinka's Death and the King's Horseman, which played in the Olivier Theatre.
He created the 2011 production Dr Dee for the Manchester International Festival, in collaboration with musician Damon Albarn, which was subsequently performed at ENO in 2012. In 2010 he directed Mozart's Don Giovanni, also for ENO.
Norris was made an associate director at the National Theatre in 2011. His production of London Road by Alecky Blythe and Adam Cork opened at the Cottesloe in 2011, before transferring to the Olivier in 2012, winning the Critics' Circle Award for Best Musical.
His 2012 film Broken premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and received the Golden Eye Award for best international film at the Zurich Film Festival. At the 2012 British Independent Film Awards it won the award for Best British Independent Film.
In 2013 his production of Tanya Ronder's play Table launched the new space, The Shed, at the National Theatre. He subsequently directed James Baldwin's The Amen Corner at the National Theatre.
Director of the National Theatre In March 2015, Norris replaced Nicholas Hytner as artistic director of the National Theatre. During his first season, he directed the medieval play Everyman in a new adaptation by Carol Ann Duffy starring Chiwetel Ejiofor in the title role and for the Christmas season, the premiere of a new musical, Wonder. Land (following a run in summer of 2015 at the Manchester International Festival and before a run at the Théâtre du Châtelet in summer of 2016) with music by Damon Albarn and lyrics and book by Moira Buffini, inspired by Lewis Carroll's novels Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass.
In summer 2016 he directed Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill's The Threepenny Opera, in a new adaptation by Simon Stephens and starring Rory Kinnear as Macheath. In spring 2017 he directed My Country; a work in progress by Carol Ann Duffy, using the words of people across the UK regarding Brexit, which was followed by a UK tour. In the Dorfman Auditorium in July 2017 he directed a new play Mosquitoes by Lucy Kirkwood, starring Olivia Colman and Olivia Williams. In 2018 he directed his first Shakespeare play in 25 years, Macbeth, with a cast including Rory Kinnear as Macbeth and Anne-Marie Duff as Lady Macbeth.
In 2019, Norris directed Helen Edmundson's adaptation of Andrea Levy's book Small Island in the Olivier Theatre at the National Theatre. The critically acclaimed production was broadcast to cinemas worldwide by National Theatre Live. Following its initial sold-out run, Small Island was scheduled to return to the Olivier Theatre in late 2020, but the Covid-19 pandemic delayed its return until spring 2022. Small Island was also shown as part of the free National Theatre at Home steaming programme during the UK 2020 Covid-19 lockdown.
Hex opened in December 2021 but the production was curtailed in January 2022 due to a resurgence of Covid-19. It was restaged at the end of 2022 and ran into January 2023. The critical reaction was favourable,
In June 2023, Norris announced that he would be stepping down from his position in spring 2025. In March 2025, Norris was awarded the Society of London Theatre Special Award.
Honorary degree In November 2023, Norris received the honorary degree, Doctor of Letters (DLitt), from the University of St Andrews.
Views On 16 August 2018, he condemned the destruction of the Said al-Mishal Cultural Centre in Gaza, which was destroyed by Israeli airstrikes on 11 August 2018.
Work
Theatre productions +Plays directed by Rufus NorrisPlayPlaywrightTheatreOpening dateNotesDeath of a SalesmanArthur MillerZorlu PSM, Istanbul, Türkiye6 June 2026HexTanya Ronder, Jim Fortune and Rufus NorrisOlivier Theatre, National Theatre6 December 2022Small IslandHelen EdmundsonOlivier Theatre, National Theatre1 May 2019Broadcast as part of National Theatre Live and streamed as part of National Theatre at HomeMacbethWilliam ShakespeareOlivier Theatre, National Theatre & UK Tour26 February 2018MosquitoesLucy KirkwoodDorfman Theatre, National Theatre18 July 2017My Country: a work in progressCarol Ann DuffyDorfman Theatre, National Theatre & UK Tour28 February 2017The Threepenny OperaBertolt Brecht & Kurt Weill, translated and revised by Simon StephensOlivier Theatre, National Theatre25 May 2016Broadcast as part of National Theatre Livewonder.landMoira Buffini & Damon AlbarnManchester International Festival & Olivier Theatre, National Theatre23 November 2015EverymanCarol Ann DuffyOlivier Theatre, National Theatre22 April 2015Broadcast as part of National Theatre LiveBehind the Beautiful ForeversDavid Hare, based on the book by Katherine BooOlivier Theatre, National Theatre10 November 2014Broadcast as part of National Theatre LiveThe Amen CornerJames BaldwinOlivier Theatre, National Theatre11 June 2013TableTanya RonderThe Shed, National Theatre9 April 2013CabaretJohn Kander, Fred Ebb & Joe MasteroffSavoy Theatre3 October 2012London RoadAlecky Blythe & Adam CorkCottesloe and Olivier Theatre, National Theatre7 April 2011 & 12 August 2012Won Critics' Circle Award for Best Musical. Nominated for four Olivier Awards in 2012, including Best Director and Best New Musical.Doctor DeeDamon AlbarnPalace Theatre, Manchester30 June 2011Vernon God LittleTanya RonderYoung Vic27 January 2011Don GiovanniWolfgang Amadeus MozartEnglish National Opera 6 November 2010The Country GirlClifford OdetsTheatre Royal, Windsor21 July 2010Death and the King's HorsemanWole SoyinkaOlivier Theatre, National Theatre1 April 2009Les Liaisons DangereusesChristopher HamptonSelwyn Theatre, Broadway1 May 2008Nominated for the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play in 2008.CabaretJohn Kander, Fred Ebb & Joe MasteroffLyric Theatre & UK Tour22 September 2006Market BoyDavid EldridgeOlivier Theatre, National Theatre27 May 2006FestenDavid EldridgeMusic Box Theatre, Broadway23 March 2006FestenDavid EldridgeAlmeida Theatre29 March 2004Won both the Evening Standard and Critics Circle Best Director Awards. Nominated for five Olivier Awards in 2005.NyeTim PriceRoyal National Theatre, Wales Millennium Centre24 February 2024Broadcast as part of National Theatre Live and streamed as part of National Theatre at Home
Filmography 2009 King Bastard 2012 Broken 2015 London Road
See also List of English speaking theatre directors in the 20th and 21st centuries References
External links