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'You know a true comic playwright has arrived when the audience start laughing before the actors tell the jokes. The biggest theatrical buzz in Liverpool at the moment surrounds neither Willy Russell or Alan Bleasdale but a bloke called Bob Farquhar, whose celebrity has grown to be something of a cult.' The Guardian on GOD'S OFFICIAL
'Robert Farquhar looks a strong prospect for the future.' The Guardian on ALMOST FOREVER BUT
'Robert Farquhar has a gift for creating credible, funny dialogue.' The Scotsman on ALMOST FOREVER BUT
Robert's new play BAD JAZZ ,a biting satire on post-post modern theatre and our obsession with reality, opened recently at the Drum Theatre, Plymouth, presented by Actor's touring Company and directed by Gordon Anderson - to some impressibe reviews:
“Robert Farquhar's new play is a brilliant, ninety minute satirical stab at modern theatre which succeeds in being self-referential without ever being self-conscious. Together, Farquhar and Director Gordon Anderson have created the impossible: theatrical caricatures with naturalistic credibility… a cracking piece of writing”
- Allison Vale, the British Theatre Guide
“…director Gordan Anderson injects a lot of off-kilter humour. Much of it is aimed at pretentious theatre directors who obsessively believe in the claptrap they spout in attempting to motivate their performers… Amazing how such a sad tale is so hilariously funny”.
- Bill Stone, The Herald
“The question of what is and what isn't acceptable on the public stage is tackled with enormous gusto and great enthusiasm… makes its point about art, censorship, the theatre and where to draw the line with great energy…(a) hilarious and very naughty new comedy… one of the best things you'll see in The Drum this year.
- Su Carroll, Western Morning News
He is currently working on another play commissioned by Liverpool's Everyman Theatre.
Bob also co-devised and directed the smash Edinburgh 2006 hit INSOMNOBABBLE with his company Big Wow - the production transfers to BAC, London in November 2006.
'Virtuoso timing, hilarious facial contortions and the ability of two performers to fill the stage with different characters show the discipline and comic genius underpinning Robert Farquhar’s direction...Insomnobabble turns loneliness into laughter and shows you what theatre can do that no other medium can.' The Stage
Three Plays by Robert Farquhar - DUST TO DUST, GOD'S OFFICIAL and KISSING SID JAMES were recently published by Josef Weinberger Ltd - who also handle amateur performance rights in the plays. Copies can be ordered from orders@centralbooks.com
GOD'S OFFICIAL produced by Richard Jordan and directed by Robert himself, toured successfully to Norwich Playhouse, West Yorkshire Playhouse and Stephen Joseph Theatre, with further productions at Croydon Warehouse and Lilverpool Everyman. This fantasy football fable, and an earlier play ALMOST FOREVER BUT (Assembly Rooms), received the Edinburgh Spirit of the Fringe award 2000.
DUST TO DUST was presented at the Unity Theatre and Edinburgh Fringe Festival August 2002 to great reviews -
'...this is riveting stuff... full of nuance and detail worthy of Alan Bennett...a surprise package.' Michael Coveney, Daily Mail
'Farqhar as been making waves in the North West for some time... forte is embedding minute detail into general linguistic clutter... something unusually compelling.'
The Guardian
KISSING SID JAMES has had a number of hugely successful professional repertory productions including Unity Theatre Liverpool (premiere), Oldham Coliseum, Hull Truck and Bolton Octagon.
'KISSING SID JAMES has got to be one of the most hilarious plays ever written... the dialogue is simply fantastic.' Bolton Evening News
Robert was selected from the BBC Writer's Room initiative NORTHERN EXPOSURE as one of five writers from the Liverpool area to develop a TV series idea mentored by Tim Firth. Robert is currently working on a comedy drama series BIGGER THAN JESUS - charting the return to Liverpool of a broken man left with nothing but his guitar..
Robert has written and directed numerous plays for his own company, PECCADILLO.
He is now working on a two-parter for television HAPPY EVER AFTER - a heart-pulling look the nature of romance when the 'romantic comedy' comes to an end and a new comedy drama series idea 'UNIVERSITY OF LIFE'.
His first short film THE AUTOGRAPH was directed by Jimmy Ward and starred Robert Bathurst (COLD FEET) in the central role.
Bob is represented by Charlotte Knight
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