Robert Tanitch, playwright, author, critic, had the first professional production of one of his plays while he was still up at Oxford. His comedies include Call It Love (London and Vienna), Came the Knight (directed by Trevor Nunn at Belgrade Theatre, Coventry) andHighly Confidential (starring Hermione Gingold in London).

He has written and directed the cassette series, Shakespeare Interviews. He has been the Old Vic’s education projects director and has lectured on Shakespeare and theatre in England, Australia, Indonesia and Kenya.

He is the author of sixteen books on theatre and film, including Ralph Richardson: A Tribute, Olivier, Ashcroft, Gielgud, Dirk Bogarde, Guinness, John Mills, Brando, Clint Eastwood, The Unknown James Dean, Oscar Wilde on Stage and Screen, andLondon Stage in the 20th Century.

His latest book is London Stage in the Nineteenth Century, which is to be launched at the National Theatre in June 2010.

His comedy sketches are featured on YouTube.

Website: www.tanitch.co.uk/