Indhu Rubasingham said “I am absolutely delighted to have been appointed as the new Artistic Director of the Tricycle. I first worked there in 1998 when I brought Roy Williams’ Starstruck to Nicolas Kent. Unknown to me it was the beginning of a long and fruitful association. In that time I was introduced to Lynn Nottage, who I consequently worked with on Fabulation and Darfur: How Long is Never?, and with Nicolas took The Great Game: Afghanistan all the way to the Pentagon. The Tricycle is a unique and special place and it has beenpassionately led by Nicolas Kent. He leaves behind him a weightylegacy. I am very excited and honoured to take the baton and lead the organisation, with my artistic vision, into the future.”
Indhu will be directing Stones In His Pockets for the Tricycle Theatre in December 2011, as part of Nicolas Kent’s final season as Artistic Director. Her previous work at the Tricycle Theatre includes The Great Game: Afghanistan, Women, Power and Politics, Detaining Justice as part of the Not Black and White season, Fabulation, Starstruck and Darfur: How Long Is Never?
Currently Indhu is developing a play based on the short story, AfricaKills Her Sun, by Ken Siro-Wiwa and a new musical as part of the Sundance Theatre Lab. In 2012 Indhu will direct Belong by Bola Agbaje at the Royal Court Theatre.
Further directing credits include Ruined at the Almeida Theatre, Disconnect, Free Outgoing, Sugar Mummies, Lift Off and Club Land at the RoyalCourt Theatre, Wuthering Heights for Birmingham Rep, The Waiting Room and Ramayana for the National Theatre (and Birmingham Rep), Yellowman and Anna In The Tropics at Hampstead Theatre and Romeo and Juliet and The Misanthrope at Chichester Festival Theatre.
In 2001 Indhu was awarded the Carlton Multi-Cultural Achievement Award for Performing Arts and in 2010 she received the Liberty Human Rights Award jointly with Nicolas Kent.
Nicolas Kent said, “I am very happy that Indhu is to take over from me in May next year. I have known her for 15 years and I am an enormous admirer of her work - indeed we collaborated very happily when we directed The Great Game: Afghanistan together in 2009. She is a very talented director, and an inspiration to those with whom she works. She has done some wonderful productions over the last decade both here and at other major London theatres, and I am confident that she will lead the Tricycle with imagination and boldness. I am certain she will continue, and expand its mission, and consolidate its already strong reputation. I wish her huge joy over the coming years in taking the Tricycle staff, actors, writers and audienceonto new challenges and even greater success”.
Jonathan Levy, Chairman, said on behalf of the board “We are extremely pleased to have appointed Indhu as the Tricycle’s new Artistic Director and Chief Executive. This is a challenging but exciting time for the theatre, and Indhu’s vision of how she will continue and develop the future artistic programme is exceptional. We are delighted that, building on the outstanding legacy of Nicolas Kent, Indhu’s artistic leadership will continue to grow the ambition and reputation of the Tricycle's unique and powerful voice for contemporary political and social theatre”.
Moira Sinclair, London Executive Director of Arts Council England, said: “Nicolas Kent is a tough act to follow, but Indhu Rubasingham’s appointment is a real coup for a theatre with an international reputation for pushing artistic boundaries. We look forward to working with her and continuing our partnership with one of London’s leading theatres, and we would also like to thank Nicolas for his many years of commitment, and wish him well in his future endeavours.”
Cllr Ann John OBE, Leader of Brent Council said “I have every confidence Indhu Rubasingham will use her considerable talent and experience to continue the Tricycle’s proud tradition of reaching out to Brent’s diverse communities. The Tricycle’s valuable inclusion and outreach work with children and young people in our borough has transformed many of their lives, and makes an invaluable contribution to Brent’s rich cultural fabric”.