Britain's National Theatre Director Rufus Norris Commits To 50:50 Gender Balance By 2021

Britain's National Theatre director Rufus Norris, who succeeded Nicholas Hytner in March of 2015, has announced a commitment to achieving gender equality in terms of directors and living writers by 2021.

"It's crucial to look at writers and directors," says Norris, "and we would hope by 2021 that we get to a stage with directors and living writers where we have a 50:50 gender balance.... There are a lot of women playwrights and women directors coming through, so it's our responsibility to encourage that and reap the benefits."

In discussing the theatre's new season, Norris describes "gender balance across the whole organization as massively important".

This includes more fluidity in casting. Tamsin Greig will play the lead role of Malvolio in The National's upcoming TWELFTH NIGHT, renamed as Malvolia.

The Stage describes the measure as part of the establishment's new diversity drive, which includes the addition of Lenny Henry, a high-profile diversity campaigner, to the theatre venue board.

Last year, 30% of performers on the National's stages were black, Asian or minority ethnic, but Norris stressed a need to also increase the number of BAME staff members hired throughout the entire organization.

"We have got to make this feel like it's not just an organization, but an industry, that is open to the whole of the nation and it's something we take very seriously."

Norris describes Henry as a "great ambassador for theatre and the arts," adding, "He is an incredibly active figure in all kinds of areas, but particularly in diversity, which is the main part of the works we want to be moving forward with over the next five years."

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