Artistic Direction
Oli is an established Artistic Director and C.E.O. He is currently the Artistic Director of The Greenhouse Theatre, a company which he founded in 2018, and has since grown into the UK’s leading name in eco-theatre.
Creatively, Oli builds vibrant, award-winning programmes – Lyn Gardner remarked that his most recent programme “should raise a loud cheer.” His programmes are often stylistically diverse, but demonstrate his passion for myth and storytelling by being deeply narratively compelling. They also demonstrate his commitment to increasing diversity in the arts industry and nurturing young talent.
Oli is also a strong and inspirational business leader, with a qualification in Entrepreneurship from the University of Pennsylvania. His skills span the range of accounting, branding, capital redevelopment and growth management.
The Greenhouse Theatre (2018 to present)
Founded in 2018, The Greenhouse is the UK’s first zero-waste performance space. It uses the power of performance and storytelling to inspire climate action.
Through The Greenhouse, Oli has produced three programmes, worked on over fifteen different productions, and managed a six-person team. He also successfully navigated the company through the Covid pandemic with no redundancies. The project has appeared in national publications (The Guardian, Radio 4, The Stage), and has won multiple awards (Three Weeks, Theatre Weekly).
The Barron Theatre (2018 to 2019)
The Barron Theatre is a 56-seat community theatre in Scotland. With an incredibly loyal audience, Oli implemented a successful diversification strategy to engage with new audiences while maintaining the existing customer base.
As part of this, he oversaw a rebranding of the theatre and an overhaul of its creative strategy while managing a team of 4. He also led a redevelopment project worth £100,000.
SAND New Writing Company (2017 to 2019)
SAND is a new writing company, created to help emerging writers improve through receiving feedback and seeing their scripts performed.
During his two years leading the company, Oli worked with over fifteen emerging writers to support them in developing their work. As a result, two of these writers went on to have their work premiere at the Edinburgh Fringe and beyond.
BoxedIn Theatre (2016 to 2018)
Founded by Oli in 2016, BoxedIn Theatre pushed the boundaries of immersive and site-specific theatre, using spatial memory to create shows with genuine social impact.
During his time at the company, Oli directed three productions and led two tours (one national, one international). All of these productions took place in unusual locations – including a nightclub, a medical laboratory, and a series of outdoor spaces.