Robert Gilbert

Robert Gilbert (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Irakehu, Ngāti Pākehā) began his theatre career in 1981 as a trainee actor with Prospect Theatre Company in Hamilton, New Zealand and has since appeared in scores of professional theatre and television productions. As a director, he has won Best Production awards at many New Zealand theatre festivals, the Norfolk Island Theatre Festival, Port Macquarie Theatre Festival, Brisbane Arts Theatre Festival, and the Best Director Award at the Norfolk Island Festival an unprecedented six times.

Robert has written more than 20 plays, and his work has been presented in New Zealand, Australia, United Kingdom, and USA. He was twice shortlisted for the NZ PLAYMARKET Plays for the Young Competition. He recently made the long list for The British Theatre Challenge and won an honourable mention in the New Works of Merit playwriting competition in New York. Robert won the Playwrights’ Association of New Zealand 10-minute Play Competition in 2016, and the Playwrights’ Association of New Zealand Long Play Competition in 2017 and 2019.

Robert has a Master of Arts with First Class Honours in English from Massey University and is currently Principal at Papanui High School.