Creation Theatre Company is a producing theatre based in Oxford, England. Founded in 1996 by David Parrish, the company became a charity in 2007 and produces site-specific adaptations of classic stories and Shakespeare.
Management Founding artistic director David Parrish announced his departure in 2010, to take on a producing role at the National Theatre of Norway. He was succeeded by James Erskine, who had previously worked for The Gate Theatre and Shakespeare's Globe. Erskine left the company in 2012 and Lucy Askew was the CEO and artistic producer until she left in April 2024. Helen Eastman is now artistic director and CEO of Creation Theatre.
Cast and creative team Creation does not have a fixed company of actors or artistic staff, instead using a freelance team for each project. Past directors include Laurie Sansom, Joanna Read, Richard Beecham, Gareth Machin, Tim Carroll, Natalie Abrahami, Jonathan Holloway, Charlotte Conquest and Gari Jones.
Performance venues Creation has never had a theatre building and produces shows in unusual spaces across the city of Oxford and beyond. The first productions, from 1996 to 2002 were performed open air in the grounds of Magdalen College School. For Christmas performances between 2004 and 2011 the company erected a Spiegeltent in the car park of BMW Group Plant with shows such as Beauty and the Beast and The Winter's Tale. Following its renovation in 2005, Creation has performed seven shows at Oxford Castle. In 2011, Creation was the first theatre company to perform at Blackwell's Bookshop to perform Doctor Faustus, and has gone on to perform Hamlet and The Odyssey, a co-production with The Factory Theatre Company, and Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde. Since Christmas 2011 Creation has performed at The North Wall Arts Centre with A Christmas Carol, Aladdin and the Magical Lamp, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and The Wind in the Willows. Most recently, Creation has staged festive productions of Alice and Cinderella at The Mill Arts Centre, George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four at the Oxford Mathematical Institute and a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream with scenes set across the Oxford City Centre. In 2019 Creation put on Dracula at the London Library. In 2020 Creation performed live performances online via Zoom including, The Tempest, The Time Machine | A Virtual Reality (an adaptation of The Time Machine) and Alice | A Virtual Theme Park (an adaptation of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland).
Pascale Aebischer and Rachael Nicholas, University of Exeter, released "The Digital Theatre Transformation Report - A Case study and a Digital Toolkit" in October 2020. The case study is based on Creation's digital production, The Tempest Live, Interactive and In Your Living Room, one of the first productions made for the digital stage utilising Zoom at the beginning of April 2020. The report is aimed at performers and companies embarking on transforming their physical theatre practice into a digital mode of home working for both office staff and creative practitioners.
List of Creation productions ProductionYearVenueDirected byRomeo and Juliet1996Magdalen College School GroundsSebastian DoggartMacbeth1997Magdalen College School GroundsZoe SeatonHamlet1998Magdalen College School GroundsZoe SeatonThe Tempest/ Antony and Cleopatra1999Magdalen College School GroundsZoe SeatonA Midsummer Night's Dream2000Magdalen College School GroundsZoe SeatonAlice Through the Looking Glass2000Magdalen College School GroundsLaurie SansomHamlet2001BMW Group PlantZoe SeatonRomeo and Juliet2001Magdalen College School GroundsRichard BeechamMacbeth2002BMW Group PlantZoe SeatonA Midsummer Night's Dream2002Magdalen College School GroundsZoe SeatonTwelfth Night2003Headington Hill Park, OxfordCharlotte ConquestThe Tempest2003Headington Hill Park, OxfordZoe SeatonThe Winter's Tale2004Mirror Tent, BMWJustin ButcherMuch Ado About Nothing2004Headington Hill Park, OxfordCharlotte ConquestRomeo and Juliet2004Headington Hill Park, OxfordAbigail AndersonA Christmas Carol2004Mirror Tent, BMWAbigail AndersonThe Comedy of Errors2005Mirror Tent, BMWCharlotte ConquestA Midsummer Night's Dream2005Headington Hill Park, OxfordZoe SeatonThe Snow Queen2005BMW Group PlantCharlotte ConquestKing Lear2006BMW Group PlantDouglas RintoulMacbeth2006Headington Hill Park, OxfordGareth MachinThe Merchant of Venice2006Oxford CastleGari JonesRobin Hood2006Headington Hill Park, OxfordAdam MeggidoArabian Nights2006Mirror Tent, BMWDominic CookeHamlet2007Oxford Castle GardensGari JonesThe Taming of the Shrew2007Oxford Castle Unlocked CourtyardHeather DaviesThe Oxford Passion2007Oxford Castle GardensCharlotte ConquestTales from the Brother's Grimm 2007Mirror Tent, BMWGari JonesMeasure for Measure2008North Wall Arts Centre, OxfordCharlotte ConquestMuch Ado About Nothing2008Oxford Castle Unlocked CourtyardCharlotte ConquestSaints and Sinners2008St Michael at the North GateHeather DaviesA Midsummer Night's Dream2008Headington Hill Park (in promenade)Zoe SeatonAnimal Farm2008Oxford Castle GardensJoanna ReadHans Christian Andersen's Magical Tales2008Mirror Tent, BMWCaroline LeslieOthello2009New Road Baptist Church, OxfordCharlotte ConquestTwelfth Night2009Said Business School Rooftop AmphitheatreHeather DaviesBeauty and the Beast2009Mirror Tent, MINI Plant OxfordSarah PunshonRomeo and Juliet2010Said Business School Rooftop AmphitheatreCharlotte ConquestRapunzel or The Magic Pig2010Mirror Tent, MINI Plant OxfordCharlotte ConquestDoctor Faustus2010Blackwell's BookshopCharlotte ConquestTales from King James2011St Barnabus ChurchHelen TennisonAntony and Cleopatra2011Said Business School Rooftop AmphitheatreHelen TennisonA Christmas Carol2011North Wall Arts Centre, OxfordCharlotte ConquestHamlet2012Blackwell's BookshopTim CarrollThe Odyssey2012Blackwell's BookshopTim CarrollRichard II2012Oxfam HouseAshtar Theatre CompanyThe Comedy of Errors2012Sheldonian TheatreCorinne JaberThe Merchant of Venice2012Said Business School Rooftop AmphitheatreNatalie AbrahamiAladdin and the Magic Lamp2012The North Wall Arts CentreCharlotte ConquestJekyll and Hyde2013Blackwell's BookshopCaroline DevlinHenry V2013Oxford Castle Unlocked CourtyardCharlotte ConquestThe Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe2013The North Wall Arts CentreCharlotte ConquestMacbeth2014Lady Margaret HallJonathan HollowayThe Wind in the Willows2014North Wall Arts Centre, OxfordGari JonesAs You Like It2015Lady Margaret HallTom LittlerAlice2015St Hugh's CollegeHelen TennisonTreasure Island2015North Wall Arts Centre, OxfordGari JonesAlice2015The Mill Arts CentreHelen TennisonKing Lear2016The Norrington Room, Blackwell's BookshopCharlotte ConquestA Midsummer Night's Dream2016Across West Oxford (in promenade)Zoe SeatonHamlet2016University ParksGari JonesCinderella2016The Mill Arts CentreHelen TennisonSnow White and Other Tales from the Brother's Grimm2016The North Wall Arts CentreGari JonesNineteen Eighty Four2017Oxford's Mathematical InstituteJonathan HollowayA Midsummer Night's Dream2017Across West Oxford (in promenade)Zoe SeatonAlice2017University ParksHelen TennisonSwallows & Amazons2018University ParksPictures of Dorian Gray2019BlackwellsTom Littler (Jermyn Street Theatre)The Tempest2019Osney Mead (in promenade)Zoe SeatonDon Quixote2019Oxford Covered MarketJonathan HollowayThe Snow Queen2019/20North Wall Arts Centre, OxfordBleak House2020Blackwell's BookshopDeborah NewboldThe Tempest Live2020Live online via Zoom - Digital TheatreZoe SeatonThe Time Machine | A Virtual Reality2020Live online via Zoom - Digital TheatreNatasha RickmanAlice | A Virtual Theme Park2020Live online via Zoom - Digital TheatreZoe SeatonShakespeare on Zoom - The Merry Wives of WhatsApp 2020Live online via Zoom - Digital TheatreNatasha RickmanShakespeare on Zoom - Horatio! & Hamlet2020Live online via Zoom - Digital TheatreNicholas OsmondThe Wonderful Wizard of Oz2020Live online via Zoom - Digital TheatreGari JonesThe Wind in the Willows2021Sunnymead Meadow, OxfordHelen EastmanThe Witch of Edmonton2022Live online via Zoom - Digital TheatreLaura WrightFriar Lawrence's Confessional 2022Live online via Zoom - Digital TheatreNicholas OsmondThe Tale of the Beauty and the Tail of the Beast2022North Wall Arts Centre, OxfordNatasha RickmanThe Emperor of the Moon2023Live online via Zoom - Digital TheatreGari JonesThe Signalman 2023Wesley Memorial Church, OxfordJonathan HollowayMuch Ado About Nothing2023South Oxford Adventure Playground (SOAP)Helen TennisonThe Alchemist2023The Mathematical Institute, Oxford & Conduit Street, LondonAnna TolputtA Christmas Carol 2023North Wall Arts Centre, OxfordGari JonesBoatman Town 2024Tour of pubs in Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire and LondonHelen EastmanAnimal Farm 2024Summertown United Reformed Church & Greenwich Theatre, LondonHelen EastmanAs You Like It2024Wycliffe Hall Grounds - Open Air TheatreLucy Pitman-WallaceTreasure Island 2024Wycliffe Hall Grounds - Open Air TheatreGari JonesExtinction Monologues2024OxfordGlyn MaxwellEven Stranger with Barney Norris2024Summertown United Reformed ChurchHansel & Grettel2024North Wall Arts Centre, OxfordPaul Boyd
Critical reception +PublicationYearExcerpt2ndfrombottom2021"Visually the production is a treat and deploys some clever video trickery"From page to stage 2020"An imaginative and enjoyable show for these extraordinary times"Love London Love Culture2020"immensely enjoyable, fun-filled and ambitious"
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