Rufus Norris News

Today the National Theatre announces its commitment to begin creating new work again, with plans to resume socially-distanced live performances in the Olivier Theatre in late October. A new one-person play, DEATH OF ENGLAND: DELROY, by Clint Dyer and Roy Williams, will be directed by Dyer, and performed by Giles Terera. 

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Sir Ian McKellen will step into the iconic shoes of William Shakespeare's Hamlet in an upcoming age-blind production of the play at Theatre Royal Windsor, returning the actor to a role he first performed fifty years ago. 

It could not have been better timing for the National Theatre to screen Small Island, Andrea Levy's epic and incredible story. This sellout 2019 production was due to return this autumn, but is now screened as part of the National Theatre At Home series. Levy never got to see how her novel translated so powerfully onto the stage as she sadly died just before rehearsals started. Her 2004 book is poignant, moving and warm and the themes of love, racism and prejudice set among the Windrush generation could hardly feel more prescient. Helen Edmundson's adaptation is faithful to these qualities and creates an epic of a production.

Small Island, adapted by Helen Edmundson and directed by Rufus Norris, is streaming for free with National Theatre at Home from 7pm UK time (2pm EST) on Thursday 18 June, until 7pm UK time (2pm EST) on Thursday 25 June 2020.

The National Theatre today announces a further five productions that will be streamed as a part of the National Theatre at Home series.

The National Theatre and Sonia Friedman Productions are joining a number of other UK arts organizations calling for government intervention to rescue the industry which Friedman describes as 'on the brink of total collapse.'

National Theatre Director Rufus Norris chatted with Variety recently about the impact of the current health crisis on the theatre community as a whole.

The National Theatre has announced the next two productions that will be streamed live on YouTube every Thursday at 7PM BST via the National Theatre's YouTube channel as part of National Theatre at Home; the new initiative to bring content to the public accessed from their homes during coronavirus.

Six new productions will be available for teachers and pupils to access at home via the National Theatre Collection in partnership with Bloomsbury Publishing and ProQuest.

Ovalhouse has announced its new Artistic Director, Gbolahan Obisesan, will start in April 2020. Gbolahan will be leading the theatre into its new venue in Brixton, South London and succeeds Deborah Bestwick who steps down after 20 years at the helm.

At a platform at the National Theatre on a blustery February evening, Michael Billington spoke with artistic director Rufus Norris about his career and processes. Billington stepped down from his role as chief theatre critic of the Guardian, a position he held for 48 years, at the end of 2019. 

The National Theatre today announces nine productions that will play on the South Bank in 2020-2021 alongside previously announced shows. These run alongside our international touring productions, three plays that will tour to multiple venues across the UK and a West End transfer. The NT also announces today that it will increase the quantity of low-price tickets on the South Bank by 25%, with 250,000 available across the year at £20 or less.

Theatres Trust has launched a new national photography competition looking to find images that showcase the best theatre buildings across the UK. The winning images will then be on display at an exhibition held in the National Theatre's Lyttelton Lounge.

We would be going against Broadway World's nature, if we were to suggest that we don't have a soft spot for musical theatre. So you know we just couldn't miss this production of Cabaret.

The National Theatre's cutting-edge VR immersive experience ALL KINDS OF LIMBO has been selected for Sundance Film Festival, where it will have its international premiere as part of the esteemed New Frontier exhibition from 23rd January to 2nd February 2020. This marks the National Theatre's return to Sundance Film Festival after presenting fabulous wonder.land in 2016 as part of the New Frontier exhibition.

The winners of this year's prestigious Linbury Prize for Stage Design were announced at a ceremony at the National Theatre yesterday, 2 December, marking 30 years since the prize was first held at the NT.

If you find yourself at the National Theatre with some spare time, head to the Wolfson Gallery for an impressive, colourful trip. Costume at the National Theatre is a free exhibition that invites audiences to learn of the people and processes at work behind the stage to provide the stunning costumes on any three of the National's theatres. BroadwayWorld spoke with If you find yourself at the National Theatre with some spare time, head to the Wolfson Gallery for an impressive, colourful trip. Costume at the National Theatre is a free exhibition that invites audiences to learn about the people and processes at work behind the stage to provide the stunning costumes seen in the National's three theatres spaces. BroadwayWorld spoke with Carol Lingwood, Head of Costume at the National Theatre, about the impetus behind the exhibition, and the challenges and joys of making costumes that will look as good on their first performance as they will on their last.Carol Lingwood, Head of Costume at the National Theatre, about the impetus behind the exhibition and the challenges and joys of making costumes that last.

The National Theatre has announced its upcoming lineup for December 2019 - June 2020.

Check out the current standings in the 2019 BroadwayWorld UK Awards and cast your vote!