TravCast - Robert Softley

Traverse Theatre

TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Associate Director, Hamish Pirie, interviews well known playwrights whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Hamish Speaks to Robert Softley. Robert is an established figure in the Scottish arts scene, with over ten years of experience in diverse and varied roles - including disability rights activist, actor and performer, writer, artistic director and supporter and advocate of equality of access to the arts for disabled people whether as artists or audiences. Robert's professional acting debut was with Theatre Workshop (Edinburgh) in ‘Nothing Ever Burns Down By Itself’ in 2002 and since then has appeared in many productions and has developed his own artistic practice - most recently instigating, co-writing and performing in ‘Girl X’ for the National Theatre of Scotland, directed by Pol Heyvaert of Belgium’s Campo. In 2011 he was awarded and undertook a Creative Scotland residency which allowed him to develop ‘If These Spasms Could Speak’. A graduate of Glasgow University with an MSc (Hons) in Business & Management, Robert’s other role is as a director of flip – disability equality in the arts (http://www.flip.org.uk/) which works across Scotland to support individuals and organisations in the arts sector. Robert is also an Artistic Director of Birds of Paradise Theatre Company, Scotland’s touring company that promotes the work of disabled artists in partnership with non-disabled artists and mainstream theatre venues and companies. Other acting credits include: ‘The Hogmanay Boys’, ‘Asylum’, ‘I Have Before Me…’, ‘The Threepenny Opera’, ‘The Last Little Fish in the Net’ and ‘Hans Christian Andersen: A Christmas Tale’ (Theatre Workshop); ‘The Irish Giant’ and ‘Brazil 12 – Scotland 0’ (Birds of Paradise), ‘Heelz n Wheelz’ (Fittings Multimedia); ‘A (Gay Disabled Transsexual) Love Story...’ (Boygirlfruitflower) and ‘Private Dancer’ (Janice Parker). Film and television credits include ‘Out of Order’ (MacInnes Films), ‘Trouble Sleeping’ (Makar Productions) and ‘River City’ (BBC Scotland). He has recorded a number of dramas for BBC Radio 4. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain