Indhu Rubasingham is the best person to run the National Theatre – her gender isn’t the reason why

The National Theatre’s search for its seventh artistic director is complete, and former Kiln boss Indhu Rubasingham will become the first woman to lead the institution in its 60-year history. Jessie Thompson writes that it’s her proven ability to face down vehement opposition that makes her the perfect candidate

Indhu Rubasingham has been appointed the next artistic director of the National Theatre (Antonio Olmos/The National Theatre)

Laurence Olivier. Peter Hall. Richard Eyre. Trevor Nunn. Nicholas Hytner. Rufus Norris. For all of its 60-year history, the National Theatre has been led by white men. So it’s about time for Indhu Rubasingham, who has just been appointed its seventh artistic director. Most agreed that the next leader should be a woman: the National’s own deputy artistic director, Clint Dyer, said that a woman would be “the best person for the job”, and departing Royal Court artistic director Vicky Featherstone suggested recently that “of course it is time there is another sort of view at the National”. In the end, Rubasingham’s appointment was a no-brainer – but not because she is a woman (and the first person of colour at that). It is because she has the nerve to see through change in the face of opposition, a daunting but necessary aspect of the biggest job in British theatre.

When Norris announced he would stand down from the National earlier this year (his term will officially end in 2025), Rubasingham – herself departing from a decade running North London’s Kiln Theatre – emerged as the most serious contender. She has impressive leadership experience, a great track record for directing shows at the National (her recent production of The Father and the Assassin, about the man who killed Gandhi, had a second run after strong reviews), and is well liked and respected in the theatre community.

Plus, her taste speaks for itself: she is a champion of new writing, particularly that which is alive to social and political issues. She is the woman who persuaded Zadie Smith to write her first play, The Wife of Willesden, which has since transferred to Broadway. She also brought Florian Zeller’s work to the UK, many years before The Father became an Oscar-winning film starring Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Colman.