Robert Shearman

Robert Shearman
Robert Shearman, August 2014
Born	Robert Charles Shearman (1970-02-10) 10 February 1970 (age 47) Horsham, Sussex, England
Occupation	Author, playwright, screenwriter
Nationality	British
Genre	Fantasy, horror, science fiction, dark fantasy

Robert Charles Shearman (sometimes credited as Rob Shearman; 10 February 1970, Horsham, Sussex) is an English television, radio, stage play and short story writer. He is known for his World Fantasy Award-winning short stories, as well as his work for Doctor Who, and his association with Jarvis & Ayres Productions (Martin Jarvis and Rosalind Ayres) which has resulted in six plays for BBC Radio 4, broadcast in the station's regular weekday Afternoon Play slot, and one classic serial.

Shearman was educated at Reigate Grammar School (where he was a contemporary of David Walliams) and University of Exeter. During this time, he was regularly seen on stage at the University in various productions.

An established theatrical playwright, Shearman has worked with Alan Ayckbourn, had a play produced by Francis Ford Coppola, and has received several international awards for his work in theatre. Award-winning plays include Fool to Yourself, which premiered at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in 1997, and which won the inaugural Sophie Winter Memorial Trust Award, 'Easy Laughter', (Sunday Times Playwriting Award), 'Coupling', (World Drama Trust Award), 'Binary Dreamers', (Guinness Award for Theatre Ingenuity, in association with the Royal National Theatre). In 1993 he was made resident dramatist at the Northcott Theatre in Exeter, the youngest playwright to be honoured by the Arts Council in this way, and for them he wrote a series of plays, including his controversial comic fable about God living in suburbia, 'Breaking Bread Together', which later was revived in London. His association with his mentor, Alan Ayckbourn, has been particularly fruitful, with 'White Lies', 'About Colin', and 'Knights in Plastic Armour' proving especially popular.