As an emerging playwright and fiction writer, Robin was drawn to the MSt in Writing for Performance at University of Cambridge Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) for its creative scope and professional insight. With the flexibility to write for stage, screen, audio, and interactive media, the course offered both artistic freedom and practical training.
“What appealed to me most was the breadth of choice, I had the option to write for radio, television, film, gaming, and much more,” he said.
A graduate of Oxford University and the Yale Writers’ Workshop, Robin aspired to professional playwriting and appreciated learning from tutors who were also practitioners. “Our cohort was blessed with two wonderful lead academics in Clare Bayley and Fraser Grace,” he said. “It is invaluable to learn from working writers who can offer dramaturgical advice and industry experience.”
Robin’s time on the course was filled with creative firsts: producing a fellow student’s audio drama at CAM FM, having a stage play workshopped by Olivier Award-winning director Donnacadh O’Briain, and even trying stand-up comedy for the first time; “in front of an extremely sympathetic audience,” he notes.
As a family carer, he also valued the course’s flexibility. “The schedule; a mix of online learning with short residential blocks was a deciding factor for me,” he said.
Beyond the learning itself, the friendships and peer network have endured. “We now regularly write together and even arranged our own Year Two module in Cambridge,” he said.
His advice to future students is clear: “Get involved with university life. Cambridge has a thriving theatre scene. I especially recommend Downing College’s Festival of New Writing; it’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase your work to an industry panel.”
Take your storytelling to the next level; on stage, screen, and beyond.
Discover the MSt in Writing for Performance at PACE.