About Rob…

Robert Marsden is a theatre director, academic, and writer known for his dynamic storytelling, creative vision, and innovative adaptations of classic works. With a career spanning three decades, he has built a reputation for directing high-quality productions across the UK and internationally, working across genres including drama, adaptations, musical theatre, pantomime, new writing, and the classics.

Robert is writer and author of Inside the Rehearsal Room, and most recently in 2025, A Beginner’s Guide to Directing Theatre published by Bloomsbury/Methuen Drama. As an educator, he is currently Director of Curriculum at Wilkes Academy Ltd, following 17 years at the University of Staffordshire.

As a director, Rob has worked across the UK and Europe in commercial and subsidised sectors, directing genres such as Shakespeare, Jacobean and Spanish tragedy, Greek and Restoration comedy, documentary, verbatim and site-specific theatre, as well as many new writing pieces and numerous musicals. 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 , Two Into One and The Hound of the Baskervilles.

Recently he has been directing new work, including The Trial and The Trial 2 in Stoke and Life is No Joke starring John Henshaw for JB Shorts in Manchester.

A leading figure in UK pantomime, Rob is a proud trustee of the UK Panto Association, and has written about pantomime in numerous books. He has worked for Steve and Sarah Boden at Imagine Theatre since 2007, directing pantomime in Halifax (14 years), Crewe (3 years), Rotherham (3 years), Porthcawl, Glasgow, Reading and Loughborough. For the 2025/26 season he is also an Interim Associate Producer for Halifax, Glasgow and Kilmarmock for Imagine.

He co-wrote the world’s first degree in pantomime at the University of Staffordshire where he was a Head of Department, Associate Dean and an associate professor in acting and directing for 17 years. He is also an external examiner for DSL drama school and has previously undertaken this role at ALRA.

Companies worked for as a theatre director, writer and practitioner since 1999 include New Vic Theatre (2001-2005), Stephen Joseph Theatre, Bolton Octagon, Selladoor Worldwide, Southwark Playhouse, Bolton Octagon, Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Yvonne Arnaud Guildford, Leatherhead Theatre, Swanage Repertory, Hordern Ciani Ltd, DGO, BBC Radio, Birmingham Old Rep, Scott Ritchie Productions, Cooper Hall, Frinton Summer Theatre Rep, Milton Keynes/ATG, Greenwich Theatre, United National Productions, Theatre Productions Tours Ltd, Anton Benson Productions, Set in Stone Theatre. Robert is also a mentor for Mercury Creatives for the Mercury Theatre Colchester.

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.

He has a PhD in rehearsal room methodologies, following education and training at Aberystwyth, Middlesex and Rose Bruford. Robert is also on the Board of Trustees for Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and UK Pantomime Association which runs the annual pantomime awards.

Represented by Savages Personal Management