Actor Joe Eyre explains to Katherine MacAlister why playing Shakespeare’s Orlando in Oxford this summer is a delight

Frantic last minute preparations are being made this week as Creation’s big summer production As You Like It is unleashed on Oxford in all its glory.

Set during the French Resistance, Creation is bringing its usual trademark innovation and originality back to the table to breathe life into the Bard’s dusty words.

Boasting Joe Eyre as Orlando, the former Oxford University student is back to pace the lawns of Lady Margaret Hall.

Playing the love interest of Rosalind, played by Rhiannon Summers, an Oxford resident and wife of director Tom Littler, it’s turned into an all Oxford production.

“Creation is a real credit to Oxford, and although this is my first time with the company it’s a wonderful set up,” Joe acknowledges.

“But I’m still surprised by how many people have seen and know Creation and how intrinsic a part of Oxford it is.”

It was also here that Joe’s theatrical ambitions were realised, throwing himself into student productions with a zest that spoke for itself when he graduated, going straight onto drama college afterwards.

“I needed to get it out of my system, because after studying so much Shakespeare I was as interested in seeing how different people interpreted it on stage as I was in the text.”

Now 25, Joe’s delighted to be back in Oxford for the summer.

“It’s like being part of a Shakespeare festival,” he laughs. Alluding to the myriad of open-air plays currently showing in Oxford, he adds: “although this is obviously the one to see.”

So what can he tell us about the upcoming production? “It’s full of humour and improvisation. And yet it’s set in a bleak world so the audience comes on the journey around the garden with us.”

His love interest Rosalind is as keen to get going, despite having played the part before. Shakespeare’s most vocal female lead, Rhiannon says it means she has more lines to learn than most but as this production is different to anything she has done before, she has had to re-learn and reinterpret the part.

“It’s such a privilege to be playing Rosalind so I’m just getting on top of it all. I’m over the moon to have been asked,” she adds.

Directed by Rhiannon’s husband Tom Littler, is it hard not to take their work home at the end of every day? “We make a special effort not to talk shop and we have a very good working relationship. And we recently moved to Jericho from London and have fallen in love with it. So being part of something so specific to Oxford is amazing.

“Creation really belongs here and so many people seem to have a connection with it.

“But what is great is that As You Like It has such a great mix of court and rural rusticity, I suppose you could call it town and gown.”

SEE IT
Creation’s As You Like It is at Lady Margaret Hall from July 28 to September 12.
Call the box office on 01865 766266 or see creationtheatre.co.uk