Indhu Rubasingham, (; born 1970), is a British theatre director and the current artistic director of the National Theatre.
Early life and education Born in Sheffield, England, to Tamil parents from Sri Lanka on 18 February 1970, Rubasingham was educated at Nottingham Girls' High School, after which she studied drama at Hull University, from where she later received an honorary doctorate in 2017.
Career
Freelance directing Soon after graduating from Hull University, Rubasingham received an Arts Council bursary to work as a trainee director at the Theatre Royal Stratford East, where she assisted director Mike Leigh. She then worked as a freelance theatre director for more than fifteen years and during this time held posts as an associate director at the Gate Theatre, the Young Vic, and the Birmingham Repertory Theatre.
She has worked across the UK and internationally. Her focus has been predominantly directing new writing and developing exciting voices. Themes that often arise in her work explore and examine ideas around British identity and the threads of human connection that crosses race, culture and identity; telling stories from different perspectives and specificity that reveals the universality of the human spirit.
Rubasingham had a long involvement with the international department at the Royal Court Theatre when headed by Elyse Dodgson which allowed her to forge relationships with playwrights from Cuba, Mexico, Brazil, Uganda and India. Indhu has also had a longstanding relationship with Sundance Theatre Lab (2011–2019), under the artistic directorship of Philip Himberg. She has directed radio plays for BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 3 and the BBC World Service.
She is a trustee for the Royal Opera House, Metroland (Brent), the George Devine Award and the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. Previous trustee positions include Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, British Council Advisory Board and the Regional Theatre Young Directors Scheme, for which Rubasingham is currently a patron. She is on the judging panel for the Channel 4 Playwriting Scheme and the Phil Fox Award for Playwriting. Since 2021, she has been on the judging panel of The Women's Prize for Playwriting, becoming Chair in 2023.
In 2017, Rubasingham was appointed MBE in the 2017 New Year Honours List.
As artistic director Rubasingham succeeded Nicolas Kent as artistic director of the Tricycle Theatre in 2012. In April 2018, after a capital renovation, the theatre's name was changed to the Kiln Theatre. Rubasingham's mission for Kiln Theatre was to make theatre for all by making space for unheard/ignored voices to be part of the mainstream and be a local theatre with an international vision. The theatre sits in the Borough of Brent.
In August 2014, she was at the centre of an antisemitism controversy over the funding of the UK Jewish Film Festival, intended to have been held at Tricycle. Rubasingham said it was "inappropriate" to host a festival part-funded by the Israeli embassy given "the current conflict in Israel and Gaza". She later claimed she had been subject to "vitriol from some elements of the Jewish community" and "people saying they are going to withdraw money". The theatre eventually reversed the decision and issued a public apology, allowing the festival to go ahead.
Rubasingham oversaw a £9 million major renovation of Tricycle building, which reopened in 2018 as Kiln. The revamped building includes an adaptable stage in the larger 292-seat theatre, better sightlines, new lighting facilities, a new café, improved disabled access and gender-neutral toilets.
Rubasingham's production of Red Velvet by Lolita Chakrabarti was transferred to the West End's Garrick Theatre and St Ann's Warehouse Theater in New York. Her production of Moira Buffini's Handbagged was transferred to the West End's Vaudeville Theatre prior to a UK tour before playing at 59e59 in New York and Washington, D.C.'s Round House Theatre. Her production of Zadie Smith's The Wife of Willesden has transferred to American Repertory Theatre, Harvard University and Brooklyn Academy of Music. Sher programmed Florian Zeller's "Family Trilogy", including The Son, which was transferred to the West End's Duke of York's Theatre in 2019; and The Father, which was transferred to the West End's Wyndham's Theatre in 2015 before being moved to the West End's Duke of York's Theatre in 2016. The Father was adapted for the 2020 film starring Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Colman, directed by Zeller.
It was announced in December 2023 she would take over as Artistic Director of the National Theatre from Rufus Norris. She took up her role in the spring of 2025.
Works Theatre productions Year Play Production Notes2023The Wife of Willesden by Zadie SmithBrooklyn Academy of MusicNY premiere2023The Wife of Willesden by Zadie SmithAmerican Repertory Theater, Harvard UniversityUS premiere2022Kerry Jackson by April de AngelisNational Theatre UK premiere2022The Wife of Willesden by Zadie SmithKiln TheatreFirst major revival2022Handbagged by Moira BuffiniKiln TheatreFirst major revival2022The Father and the Assassin by Anupama ChandrasekharNational TheatreWorld premiere2021The Wife of Willesden by Zadie SmithKiln TheatreWorld premiere2021The Invisible Hand by Ayad AkhtarKiln TheatreFirst major revival2021Girl on an Altar (Rehearsed Reading) by Marina CarrKiln TheatreLive Stream. Co-directed with Susie McKenna2020The Invisible Hand (Rehearsed Reading) by Ayad AkhtarKiln TheatreLive Stream2020Pass Over by Antoinette NwanduKiln TheatreUK premiere2019When the Crows Visit by Anupama ChandrasekharKiln TheatreWorld Premiere2019Handbagged by Moira Buffini59E59 TheatersNew York Premiere, produced by Round House Theatre 2019Wife by Samuel AdamsonKiln TheatreWorld Premiere2018White Teeth by Zadie Smith, adapted by Stephen SharkeyKiln TheatreWorld Premiere2018Holy Sh!t by Alexis ZegermanKiln TheatreWorld Premiere2018The Great Wave by Francis TurnlyNational TheatreWorld Premiere. A co-production with Kiln Theatre2017Ugly Lies the Bone by Lindsey FerrentinoNational Theatre2016The Invisible Hand by Ayad AkhtarTricycle TheatreUK Premiere2015A Wolf in Snakeskin Shoes by Marcus GardleyTricycle Theatre2015The Motherfucker with the Hat by Stephen Adly GuirgisNational TheatreWinner of Best Play and nominated for Best Director at Evening Standard Theatre Awards.2015Multitudes by John HollingworthTricycle Theatre2014The House That Will Not Stand by Marcus GardleyTricycle Theatre2013Handbagged by Moira BuffiniTricycle TheatreWest End transfer, Vaudeville Theatre, in 20142012Red Velvet by Lolita ChakrabartiTricycle TheatreWinner Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre Laurence Olivier Awards. New York transfer, St. Ann's Warehouse, in 2014. UK tour in 2015. West End transfer, Garrick Theatre, in 20162012Belong by Bola Agbaje Royal Court Theatre2011Stones in His Pockets by Marie JonesTricycle Theatre 2010Ruined by Lynn Nottage Almeida Theatre2010Women, Power and Politics by various authors including Moira Buffini and Rebecca LenkiewiczTricycle Theatre 2010Disconnect by Anupama Chandrasekhar Royal Court Theatre2009Detaining Justice by Bola AgbajeTricycle Theatre2009The Great Game (with Nicolas Kent )Tricycle TheatreAlso US Tour, finishing at The Pentagon, Washington.2008Wuthering Heights, adapted by April De Angelis from the novel by Emily Brontë Birmingham Rep2007Free Outgoing by Anupama ChandrasekharTraverse Theatre2007Pure Gold by Michael Bhim Soho Theatre2007Heartbreak House by G.B. Shaw Watford Palace Theatre2007Free Outgoing by Anupama Chandrasekhar Royal Court Theatre2006Sugar Mummies by Tanika GuptaRoyal Court Theatre 2006Fabulation by Lynn NottageTricycle Theatre 2005The Morris by Helen Blakeman Liverpool Everyman2004Anna in the Tropics by Nilo Cruz Hampstead Theatre2004Another America a new opera by Errolyn Wallen Sadler's Wells2003Yellowman by Dael Orlandersmith Liverpool Everyman and Hampstead Theatre 2003Rhinoceros by IonescoUCDavis, California2002The Misanthrope by Molière, in an adaptation by Martin Crimp Minerva Theatre, Chichester2002Bombay DreamsApollo VictoriaAssociate Director2002Romeo and Juliet Chichester Festival Theatre2001Secret Rapture by David Hare Minerva Theatre, Chichester 2001Clubland by Roy WilliamsRoyal Court Theatre2001Ramayana National Theatre2000The Waiting Room by Tanika GuptaNational Theatre2000Ramayana Birmingham Rep1999Time of Fire by Charles Mulekwa Birmingham Rep1999Lift Off by Roy Williams Royal Court Theatre1998The Crutch by Ruwanthie Dechickera Royal Court Theatre (Upstairs)1998Starstruck by Roy WilliamsTricycle TheatreReceived the John Whiting Award and an EMMAs Award.1998Kaahini by Maya Chowdhry Birmingham Rep1997A River Sutra by Gita Mehta adapted by Tanika Gupta Three Mills Island Studios Received Diverse Acts Award from LAB.1997Shakuntala by Kalidasa adapted by Peter Oswald Gate Theatre1996Storming Young Writers FestivalRoyal Court Theatre (Upstairs)1996Gulp Fiction by Trish Cooke Theatre Royal Stratford East1996No Boys' Cricket Club by Roy WilliamsTheatre Royal Stratford East 1996Sugar Dollies by Klaus ChattenGate Theatre1996A Doll's House by Henrik IbsenYoung Vic Studio1994/1995D'yer Eat With Your Fingers?! Theatre Royal Stratford East 1994Party Girls by Debbie Plentie Theatre Royal Stratford East
Accolades and honours Best Director, The Father and the Assassin, Eastern Eye Arts, Culture & Theatre Awards (2023) Kiln Theatre "Best London Theatre" The Stage Awards (2021) Best Director, White Teeth, ACTA – Eastern Eyes Arts Culture & Theatre Awards (2019) Tonic Awards (2017) Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre, Handbagged (2014) The Arts & Culture Award, Asian Women of Achievement Awards (2012) Liberty Human Rights Award (2010) The Carlton Multi-Cultural Achievement Award for Performing Arts (2001) Achievement in Art and Culture at Asian Achievers Awards (2025)
References