The Society of London Theatre has announced that outgoing artistic director of the National Theatre, Rufus Norris, will receive a Special 2025 Olivier Award.

The Special Award is for his services to the theatre industry.

The award will be presented at this year’s 2025 Olivier Awards at the Royal Albert Hall in London, on Sunday 6 April 2025 hosted by Beverley Knight and Billy Porter.

Following a 10-year tenure, Rufus Norris will step down as Director of the National Theatre at the end of this month having overseen more than 170 productions at the theatre’s South Bank venue, with his final programmed play, David Eldridge’s End, opening in November.

During his tenure at the National Theatre, Rufus Norris has driven forward key commitments to staging new work, increasing representation on and off stage, making theatre more sustainable and increasing the National Theatre’s worldwide footprint, with a current global audience reach of 19 million.

Other Olivier Award winners already announced for 2025 include the Industry Recognition Awards winners, Rupert Bielby, Bryan Raven, and Sue Uings.

Nominations for the 2025 Olivier Awards were announced last month.

Claire Walker and Hannah Essex, co-CEOs of Society of London Theatre, said in a joint statement: “We are thrilled that Rufus Norris will receive this year’s Special Award in recognition of his visionary leadership at the National Theatre. Rufus has played an instrumental role in shaping London’s theatre landscape, championing bold storytelling in some of the most unforgettable productions of the past decade. He has been passionate about removing barriers for those who may not otherwise have been able to access theatre. Under his leadership, the National Theatre created new careers and skills pathways into the industry for those underrepresented in the sector and ensured that world-class theatre productions were streamed for free in schools. Rufus established the National Theatre’s New Work department which has supported and nurtured a broad range of artists, dramatically increasing the number of productions by living writers. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Rufus and look forward to celebrating his remarkable achievements at the Olivier Awards next month.”

Read more: Olivier Awards 2025 – What We Know So Far

More about Rufus Norris

Rufus Norris’s recent productions at the National Theatre include Nye, Hex, Small Island, Macbeth, Mosquitoes, My Country – A work in progress, The Threepenny Opera, wonder.land and Everyman.

Previously, Rufus was an Associate Director at the National Theatre, directing Behind the Beautiful Forevers, The Amen Corner, Table, London Road, Death and the King’s Horseman and Market Boy.

Prior to his term as the National’s Director, Rufus directed a host of critically acclaimed productions at the Young Vic, Almeida, Royal Court, West End and Broadway, with his 2006 revival of Cabaret winning two Olivier Awards in 2007. He also received Best Director nominations in 2005 for Festen at the Almeida and Lyric theatres, and London Road at the National Theatre, Cottesloe.

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Main photo: Rufus Norris (Photo Paul Plews), Olivier Awards statues (Photo Pamela Raith)

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