Fun - David Lan and Rufus Norris, SohoCreate Festival 2015

'Fun' isn's the first word that comes to mind when we think of the immense pressures that come with running a theatre. But in this SohoCreate Festival talk, stage masterminds Rufus Norris and David Lan will go off script and reveal the passions that motivate them in the mammoth task of managing the National Theatre and Young Vic. You don't need to be a die hard theatre fan to know about their successes; in focusing on the processes that shape creativity, the talk will give a backstage insight into blockbuster theatre shows past and future.
Theatre triumphs
As he takes over from Nicholas Hytner as head of the National Theatre, Rufus Norris arrives with an enviable reputation for creating shows that manage to please the crowds while also challenging conventions. Many baulked at the prospect of London Road, Alecky Blythe's verbatim musical based on the real life murderes of sex workers in Ipwsitch, but under Norris's direction is was a runaway success, soon to grace the big screen in a film adaptation. With upcoming projects including another new musical created by Blur's Damon Albarn, Norris is bringing the same bold creativity to his tenure at the National in a programme that mixes the traditional with the fun. 

Under the leadership of David Lan, The Young Vic has graduated from edgy off-West End venue to 2014's 'Theatre of the Year'. Thanks to the staggering success of shows including A Streetcar Named Desire, A View from the Bridge and The Scottsboro Boys, the theatre broke Olivier Award records by scooping 11 nominations -- the most ever for single venue. It is the combination of high quality of innovation that shapes the Young Vic's reputation and we're interested to hear Lan's thoughts on a new season that includes 'sexed up' Shakespeare, Rory Kinnear in a Kafka adaptation and the return of maverick director Ivo Van Hove.