National accused of arrogance in director search policy

The National Theatre has become embroiled in a dispute over the appointment of its new artistic director after refusing to advertise the post and saying it will only be interviewing candidates "by invitation".

The decision by the theatre's board, headed by the businessman Sir Christopher Hogg, was denounced yesterday as "arrogant". A leading regional theatre director said that because there was no advertisment the board would simply invite well-known, high-profile theatre directors – which she called "a clique of predictable favourites".

Sir Christopher, who is married to the physician and broadcaster Miriam Stoppard, is the non-executive chairman of Reuters as well as being chairman of the National Theatre. The post of artistic director becomes vacant in September next year when the present incumbent, Trevor Nunn, steps down. Nunn has said he will stay on until a successor has been found.

For a publicly-funded body not to advertise its most senior posts is unusual. The post of chairman of the BBC is being advertised. The Royal Shakespeare Company, the country's other subsidised national stage company, always advertises its top posts. And the National Theatre itself advertised the post when Nunn took over from Sir Richard Eyre four years ago.

There is unease too among actors about who will take over at the helm of the National.

Sir Ian McKellen, the multi-award winning actor/director and a former National Theatre board member, who is believed to support Jude Kelly, the director of the West Yorkshire Playhouse for the post, says: "We should look beyond having yet another Cambridge English graduate running the National Theatre. I am one myself, but there are other people out there."

Venu Dhupa, executive director of the Nottingham Playhouse, said: "I am amazed that they are not prepared to advertise the job; that it is going to be by invitation. Apart from it being a signal of arrogance – 'we know everyone' – it does not acknowledge that there could be a surprise candidate; it is not an open competition for people to come forward with new ideas."

She added that on a "point of principle" the country's flagship venue should look beyond the usual suspects for new talent.

"This process does not allow for equal access to the decision-makers," she said. "Not only that, but the National should be leading the way in terms of good practice.

"We all know there are favourites, your Stephen Daldry or Nicholas Hytner, but the board ought to be open to what is out there. It would be like me saying, 'I have a key administrative post at the Playhouse and I want to appoint someone I know, is that all right?' Well, I know what the answer would be."

Graham Morris, head of the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, described the decision not to advertise as "a shame", but added that "the NT has a fine board and they need to take time over the selection procedure".

A spokeswoman for the National Theatre said yesterday: "The calibre of applicant we're looking for doesn't send in a CV. I don't think there's anyone in the arts world who doesn't know about this job opportunity. And this process leads to a wider debate about the nature of the National Theatre. The chairman of the board has said that anybody can write to him with any views about the appointment. How can that be interpreted as arrogant?"