Creation Theatre launches UK's first full-time PAYE Rep Company

The leading company for site-specific and digital theatre, Creation Theatre, have announced their brand-new Rep Company.

In response to the current climate, where the lack of job security for actors leads to  poor mental health and wellbeing, Creation Theatre is offering a company of actors full-time PAYE contracts – which is very rarely seen for performers in the industry. 

With no other UK theatre company offering such a radical solution to the financial insecurity of  freelancing, Creation hopes to provide significantly increased stability for performers. Along  with the mental health benefits of secure work, the company will gain increased employment rights, support returning to work after maternity leave or sickness, greater flexibility for holidays  and compassionate leave, and the ability to live locally and not travel for work.  

The company is comprised of Emily Woodward (Mrs Warren’s Profession, UK Tour), Anna Tolputt (Spring  Storm, National Theatre), Delvene Pitt (Edie, Theatre503), Nicholas Osmond (Witness for the Prosecution, London County Hall), Herb Cuanalo (Hound of the  Baskervilles, Barn Theatre), and Natasha  Rickman (The Talented Mr Ripley, Wiltons Music Hall).

With many acclaimed actors having cut their teeth in repertory theatre, this new company sees  a return to a Rep legacy – in which some of the UK’s greatest plays were written. Rep theatre represents a steady form of income, as well as the scope to offer a step change in the quality of  work produced. Creation Theatre’s Rep Company will take part in their Winter and Summer  shows on an initial two-year contract. 

The decision to move to a permanent Rep Company is informed by research from three leading UK universities. Creation have undertaken partnerships with Gill Cowburn and Charlie Foster (MBE), who are currently studying the health and wellbeing implications on performers at  University of Bristol; Heidi Ashton, whose research specialism at the University of Warwick is  freelancers' pay and conditions; and Pascale Aebischer, Professor of Shakespeare and Early  Modern Performance Studies at the University of Exeter. 

Creation Theatre’s CEO Lucy Askew said: “Over the years we witnessed first-hand the  negative impacts short term contracts and precarious freelance systems have on performers’ mental health and wellbeing. The digs system is abysmal and full of horror stories, actors can't  get mortgages, and many drop out of the industry after having children. Pressure to be ‘nice’ the whole time means people tolerate unacceptable conditions, and this can be particularly  challenging for diversity and inclusion progress. At Creation we're drawing a line in the sand; this is a big, bold move but if we can't make the system better then we're not sure we'd want to  be a part of the industry anymore.”

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