
Robert Marsden
Robert Marsden is a freelance theatre director, writer, and author of Inside the Rehearsal Room and The Beginner's Guide to Directing Theatre published by Bloomsbury/Methuen.
As a director, Rob has directed genres such as Shakespeare, Jacobean and Spanish tragedy, Greek and Restoration comedy, verbatim and site-specific theatre.
He is a specialist in new writing, documentary and verbatim theatre, comedy, musical theatre and pantomime.
Companies worked for since 1999 include New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme (2001-2005), Stephen Joseph Theatre, Bolton Octagon, Selladoor Worldwide, Southwark Playhouse, Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Yvonne Arnaud Guildford, Leatherhead Theatre, Swanage Mowlam Repertory, Victoria Theatre Halifax, BBC Radio, Birmingham Old Rep, Cooper Hall, Milton Keynes/ATG, Greenwich Theatre, Theatre Productions (UK Tours), and Anton Benson Productions. Productions include: Wind in the Willows, Some Enchanted Evening, Sugar Daddies, Keeping Up Appearances, The Railway Children, The Secret Garden, The Princess and the Pauper, A Weekend in the Country, Fame, The Fight for Shelton Bar, Romeo and Juliet, Matchbox Theatre, And Then There Were None and The Hound of the Baskervilles.
Robert was artistic director of Reveal Theatre Ltd from 1999 to 2015, directing and producing across Europe documentary plays The Savonarola Debate in Italy and They Called it Passchendaele in Belgium; as well as tours and residencies in the UK including Charley’s Aunt, Two, Singin’ in the Rain and Am I Not a Man and a Brother.
Robert’s association with Imagine Theatre Ltd stretches back to 2007, and he has directed pantomime in Halifax (14 years) Crewe (3 years), Rotherham (3 years), Loughborough, Reading and Porthcawl for the company. He has also directed pantomime in Stoke, Wrexham, Ammanford, Newtownabbey and Ickenham for other companies. A leading figure in UK pantomime, he is a proud trustee of the UK Pantomime Association and has written about the art form in numerous books. He co-wrote the world’s first degree in pantomime at the University of Staffordshire where he was also Head of Department of Media, Performance and Communication and an associate professor in acting and directing.
His adaptations include new musical versions of Peter Pan and The Snow Queen.
Rob also has a PhD in rehearsal room methodologies and is also a trustee of Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
Instagram: RobMarsdenTheatre