Robert Cohen in 'Something Rotten, or The Claudius Complex'
Welcome, and thanks for your curiosity about writer & actor Robert Cohen!
Born in London, raised in Ohio, California and Eastbourne, Robert spent his early career in journalism before making a leap of faith into showbiz. He is married to the actor, writer and improviser Jenny Rowe.
Acting work has encompassed an abundance of Shakespeare, some TV and film (including Stepan the Russian people-smuggler in BBC sitcom Ideal), and such solo stage shows as The Death of Nelson, Jewish memoir Dog’s Chosen, trafficomedy High Vis (Edinburgh 2014), and The Trials of Harvey Matusow, the strange but true Cold War tale of a McCarthyite supergrass; premiered in 2010, it made its American debut in Kansas City in 2024, and Robert is currently working for BBC Radio 4 on an Archive On 4 documentary about Matusow. It will air in early 2026.
Robert’s one-hander Something Rotten, or The Claudius Complex is a paraquel to Hamlet, re-telling the story of Shakespeare’s masterpiece through the eyes of the Prince's murderous yet undeniably hard-working uncle-turned-stepfather. First seen at the Barnstaple Fringe TheatreFest in 2015, the show was lately the subject of a 10th-anniversary revival, returning to Barnstaple as part of a short summer tour.
Born in London, raised in Ohio, California and Eastbourne, Robert spent his early career in journalism before making a leap of faith into showbiz. He is married to the actor, writer and improviser Jenny Rowe.
Acting work has encompassed an abundance of Shakespeare, some TV and film (including Stepan the Russian people-smuggler in BBC sitcom Ideal), and such solo stage shows as The Death of Nelson, Jewish memoir Dog’s Chosen, trafficomedy High Vis (Edinburgh 2014), and The Trials of Harvey Matusow, the strange but true Cold War tale of a McCarthyite supergrass; premiered in 2010, it made its American debut in Kansas City in 2024, and Robert is currently working for BBC Radio 4 on an Archive On 4 documentary about Matusow. It will air in early 2026.
Robert’s one-hander Something Rotten, or The Claudius Complex is a paraquel to Hamlet, re-telling the story of Shakespeare’s masterpiece through the eyes of the Prince's murderous yet undeniably hard-working uncle-turned-stepfather. First seen at the Barnstaple Fringe TheatreFest in 2015, the show was lately the subject of a 10th-anniversary revival, returning to Barnstaple as part of a short summer tour.
In addition to the solo shows there have been a number of more populous plays, including the Constance Cox Prize-winning The Ragged Regiment, a black comedy set in a stuffed-animal museum in Cromer, and Propaganda, an account of Shakespeare’s tangential part in the Essex revolt against Elizabeth I.
His debut novel, Architecture For Beginners, was published by Hobart Books in the spring of 2023. He is currently working on the follow-up, Little Things That Keep Us Together.
On these pages you’ll find info abundant about Robert’s acting and writing work, as well as news, occasional bloggery, and a page for useful links and contact details.
His debut novel, Architecture For Beginners, was published by Hobart Books in the spring of 2023. He is currently working on the follow-up, Little Things That Keep Us Together.
On these pages you’ll find info abundant about Robert’s acting and writing work, as well as news, occasional bloggery, and a page for useful links and contact details.
Robert Cohen can be Twittered at both @cohenbobbycoco and @HighVisTheShow
