Lord of all 'Creation'

David Parrish, founder of innovative Oxford-based theatre company Creation, tells Sally Jarman how his faith shapes his approach to the plays he produces.

IT took the study of philosophy to turn years of flirtation with faith into a lasting commitment, says David Parrish.

‘Ironically, it was the influence of Hinduism and Buddhism, which seem to say that if you are born into a religion or culture you should follow it and try to find the truth in it, which made me look at Christianity again.  I decided to have another go, backing up my emotional interest with a more sound understanding from my studies of philosophy.  That made all the difference for me.’
Since that time, four years ago, David and his family have been regular members of Holy Trinity Church in Headington Quarry - co-incidentally the local Church, and  burial place, of Christian author C.S. Lewis.
‘He was such a great artist and thinker and sometimes I sit in Church and I do feel very privileged, as someone in the arts myself, to follow him in worshipping there.’

I ask David whether his faith has influenced his work with Creation Theatre Company. Since he founded it 10 years ago the company has become renowned for its summer open-air productions of Shakespeare as well as others, such as The Snow Queen, in the grounds of BMW during the winter.

Although emphatic that he does not impose his beliefs on his company, David reveals that his faith does play a part in his working life.

The very name ‘Creation’, for example, was influenced by words of Brother Roger of Taize that Christians should be creators of reconciliation, love and compassion, and should have a creator spirit:

‘Creation was actually the suggestion of a merchant banker friend, who would probably be amazed to find that I’d made any Christian connection, but to me it linked in with what theatre should be about.’

As for the productions, David says that if a play does not speak to him spiritually, as well as financially, he will not look at it: ‘What I am personally trying to do when looking at a play is ask whether I want to tell this story, and if I don’t think it has something to say I don’t want to produce it.’

The history of performing arts abounds with spiritual connections, he says, from Greek theatre which provided communal cathartic moments  thought to be positive for society, to the Mystery cycles of plays which began in England around 1350, teaching ordinary people about the Bible and Christianity at a time when church services and religious books were in Latin. and education was the privilege of the  few.

Up to 90 per cent of classic literature, he believes, from Shakespeare to C S Lewis to Bronte, has a strong spiritual element.

‘Take our recent Christmas production of The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen. ‘We see the power of innocence and love of the child, Gerda, in defeating the evil Snow Queen and, at the end, the Grandma blatantly says that unless we become like little children we cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

‘We live in an unbelievably secular world and many people who came to the production won’t have picked up on the spiritual message, but when I read a story or see a play that is something I, personally, look for.

‘I don’t try to evangelise. We’re a commercial enterprise and I think many people coming to see the plays would have a fundamental problem with being preached at by us. But if people see a play and enjoy it, and as part of that they find it poses some fundamental spiritual questions for them, I’d be delighted.’

That said, David feels his faith has planted the seeds of an idea for an overtly religious production aside from those of ‘Creation’º - a professional Oxford Passion Play to rival established productions.

It would be a high-quality, professional production with that wow factor that could attract up to 20,000 people during its run.

The first toe in the water will be a dramatic telling of the Gospel of St Mark this Easter  at Holy Trinity in Headington Quarry.

‘It’s very much on paper and in my head at the moment,’ he says; ‘but I’ll be looking to attract 700-900 people as an indication of what interest might be in the bigger project of the Passion Play in 2007.

‘It’s a fantasy and a challenge and would require substantial financial backing which isn’t organised yet, but I believe there would be an audience for it, and if successful, it could well become an annual event.’

And filled with enthusiasm for this new ‘creation’ David hurries off to a meeting about his company’s next production of King Lear, again in the cavernous space at BMW’s car plant at Cowley, which can be seen from 10 February to 1 April 2006.