He has triumphed over controversies, the ‘devastation’ of Covid and 100-hour weeks. As Norris leaves the biggest job in British theatre, he reveals his final season – and his plans to take up carpentry and design kayaks

When Rufus Norris was appointed the sixth artistic director of the National Theatre in 2015, he was terrified by the prospect. “Why would I think I could do that?” he says. “I had run a fringe theatre 20 years ago [the Arts Threshold, from 1993 to 1995].” Yet, being terrified was exactly what led him there. “‘Step into your fears’ has been a mantra for my whole career. Go into the thing you’re afraid of because if you’re afraid of it then it means you won’t know what you’re doing – which means you’ll learn more.”

Norris, 59, is sitting in the building that has since become his home, reflecting on his near-decade at the National’s helm. The fear is soon to come full circle; six months from now, he will be back out in the big, bad, scary old world again. Directors have traditionally done two five-year terms – he was not asked to do a third. He is pleased with this outcome because “change is healthy in our industry – it’ll be really good to have a fresh blast come through”. The blast he refers to is Indhu Rubasingham, who floats around outside his office, midway through a year-long handover, and it is clear from the teasing repartee as they pass each other that there is warmth between them.