Robin French

Robin French (born 1978, Birmingham) is a playwright, film and television writer and songwriter living in London.

Background

French was educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham and studied Modern and Medieval Languages at Selwyn College, Cambridge University where he graduated with first-class honours in 2001.^[1]

While at Cambridge he was active in the Cambridge Footlights^[2] and won two play-writing competitions.^[3]

Career

Theatre

French's first play, Bear Hug,^[4][5][6][7] won the Royal Court Theatre Young Writers Programme and was subsequently produced at the theatre. It has since had productions in Italy, Germany, Ireland^[8] and Poland. His second play, Gilbert is Dead^[9] performed at Hoxton Hall in Shoreditch, London, in November 2009. His play for young people The Red Helicopter was performed at the Almeida theatre, London, in August 2010. The Guardian listed French as one of the UK's "young stars in the ascendant" in 2005.^[3]

Television

French has also written for television. He has twice been awarded the title of Hotshot (representing UK writing) by Broadcast Magazine (2006 and 2008^[10]). French has written with Evening Standard theatre critic and King Edward's School peer Kieron Quirke.

French was writer and script editor for two series of BBC’s Man Stroke Woman, co-creator of US sitcom Roommates (ABC Family), and co-creator and co-writer of ITV2's mystery dramedy Trinity.

Music

French spent several years in the music industry as bassist of UK band Mr Hudson and the Library.^[11] French played under the alias Maps Huxley, and co-wrote the song "One Specific Thing" from the album A Tale of Two Cities.^[12] He left the band to pursue writing in September 2007.

References