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.
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Management
The 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 since 2012 Lucy Askew has been Artistic Producer 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 and Jonathan Holloway.
Performance venues
Creation has never had a theatre building and produces shows in unusual spaces across the city of Oxford. The first productions, from 1996–2002 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