I'm a poet, rapper, storyteller, educator and co-founder of Beats & Elements hip hop theatre company. I have a published book of poems and stories, called The Suburban (2018), published by Burning Eye Books.
I have performed extensively around the UK and written two solo theatre shows, A Tale From The Bedsit (2013) and The C/D Borderline (2016) and co-wrote two Beats & Elements shows, entitled No Milk For The Foxes (2015) and High Rise eState of Mind (2019)
My work is largely autobiographical, though not always and focuses on working class stories and issues.
As an educator, I have worked for ten years for a varoiety of organiations, teaching poetry, spoeken word, rap, beatbox and theatre, for the likes of National Literacy Trusy, Moubtview Drama School, Pilot Theare, Roundhouse and Battersea Arts Centre.
Poetry and theatre work
October 2020 - Greenwich Libraries-
Selected by Greenwich Libraries to write and perform poems around various historical sites in Woolwich and live-stream them at the location.
October 2020 - Open Words / Britain Behind The Mask
Commissioned to reinterpret and perform two myth-stories, Demeter and Persephone and Tiddalick The Frog, as part of a workshop series for therapists and artists
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqOGJjRr9yA
May 2020 - National Literacy Trust / Words For Life
Commissioned to create 5 online workshops in, in how to create different types of poem
https://wordsforlife.org.uk/activities/how-to-write-a-poem-with-paul-cree/
March 2020 - ongoing WORK
my third solo spoken word show, WORK, which explores my own experience of precarious employment. Did a full work-in-progress at Vault festival and Camden People’s Theatre
https://vaultfestival.com/whats-on/work/
January 2020 - Young & Talented
Commissioned to write the annual Young & Talented Crongton Knights response play, for their company of 5-19 year olds
April 2019 – ongoing - High Rise eState of Mind
Co-written and perford in hip hop theatre show, High Rise State of Mind, which explores contemporary housing issues. Performed to a sold-out run at Battersea Arts Centre and Camden People’s Theatre, GL4 Gloucester, HOME Slough, Fairfield Halls Croydon. In November 2020, will run at HOME Manchester
https://getthechance.wales/2019/03/22/high-rise-estate-of-mind/
October 2019 - SPIN / Apples & Snakes
Commissioned to write a bespoke spoken word and rap performance, around the theme of space, for SPIN, which formed part of the Bloomsbury Festival
https://applesandsnakes.org/whats-on/spin-adventures-in-spoken-word/
April 18 - The Suburban
Published debut collection of poems and stories with Burning Eye Books
https://burningeye.bigcartel.com/product/the-suburban-by-paul-cree
October 16 – Roll The Bass
Wrote a walking-audio story for phone application Voice Map, exploring the history and legacy of London nightclubs and the Jungle / Drum & Bass scene
https://voicemap.me/tour/london/roll-the-bass
July / August 16 – The C/D Borderline
Wrote and performed solo storytelling show, The C/D Borderline, previewing to a sell-out audience at the Roundhouse in Camden, then completing a three week run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival gaining two four star reviews, as well as touring the show to Shambala Festival.
http://broadwaybaby.com/shows/the-c-d-borderline/716204
July 16 – Stratford Theatre Royal MTW 16
Selected to take part in a residency at Stratford Theatre Royal for their Musical Theatre Workshop
January 16 – Native Tongue – Camden People’s Theatre
Curated an evening of theatre and spoken word, under the guise of Beats & Elements, as part of CPT’s Whose London Is It Anyway?
https://www.cptheatre.co.uk/production/beats-elements/
May 15 – The 90 Sick E.P
Wrote and produced four track spoken word E.P with musician Elian Gray
https://paulcree.bandcamp.com/album/the-90-sick-e-p
May 15 – No Milk For The Foxes – Camden People’s Theatre
Co-wrote and performed in critically acclaimed hip-hop theatre show No Milk For The Foxes
https://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/2015/no-milk-foxes/
July 13 – Sept 15 – A Tale From The Bedsit
Commissioned by The Roundhouse to write and perform first solo show which headlined their 2013 festival The Last Word and went on to tour at Bestival, Battersea Arts Centre, Hoxton Hall, Richmix and the London Story Fest
http://everything-theatre.co.uk/2014/03/a-tale-from-the-bedsit-battersea-arts-centre-review.html