My partner, Ted Craig, who has died aged 86, was for more than 25 years the artistic director of the Warehouse theatre, Croydon, in south London, which he transformed into a champion of new writing after founding the International Playwriting festival.
An Australian who had worked for many years in television, Ted settled permanently in Britain in 1979 after having helped the director Lindsay Anderson stage a production at the Theatre Royal in Sydney. Anderson then recommended Ted to direct a production of Look Back in Anger in New York in 1980, and he then assisted Anderson on his 1981 film Britannia Hospital.
At the Warehouse from 1985, Ted’s first production was the premiere of David Allen’s Cheapside, starring James Bolam. The following year Ted launched what was initially the South London Playwriting festival: entries came from around the world, and in 1994 it took its international title. The first winner was Kevin Hood, with Beached. Hood’s next play, The Astronomer’s Garden, was a huge success, and transferred to the Royal Court.
A popular highlight at the Warehouse was the Dick Barton – Special Agent series of musical comedies, based on the BBC radio serial. The first show, which Ted commissioned in 1998, was so successful that it was revived the following year and toured nationally. Over the next 10 years, Ted directed eight sequels.
Born in Melbourne, Australia, to Hazel (nee Smith), a secretary, and Hugh Craig, a commissionaire, Ted went to Caulfield grammar school, after which he joined the mailroom at the local television station, GTV-9. He was soon promoted to floor manager, then camera assistant, and by his early 20s was the director of a varied output that included children’s puppet shows, current affairs and drama. He was also an actor, and won the best supporting actor award at the Adelaide festival of arts in 1964.
Moving to Britain, he worked in repertory as director and actor but returned to Australia for five years from 1973 to direct the drama repertoire at the then new Sydney Opera House.
He and I met in the UK, in 1979, and were together thereafter. Ted took over the Warehouse after it had been closed due to a withdrawal of arts council funding, then reopened following a grant from Croydon council and the GLC.
However, with only 100 seats, the theatre led a precarious existence, and it was a testament to Ted’s determination that he managed to weather constant financial difficulties over many years. The challenges became insurmountable when Croydon council withdrew its financial support in 2012 and the Victorian building, which had serious structural problems, was subsequently demolished.
He nevertheless established a new company, Warehouse Phoenix. The final playwriting festival took place on its 30th anniversary, at the Ashcroft theatre, in 2016. At the time of his death, we were working on a production of Haram Iran for Theatro Ena in Cyprus.
Ted is survived by me and by his brother, Rob.
