From Kings to the King's Head

Robin is on the right

He has only been an actor for four years, but Robin Holden already has an impressive CV. His stage appearances include Marc Antony in Julius Caesar, Iago in Othello, Razumikhin / Zvidrigailov in Crime and Punishment and Duke Ferdinand in The Duchess of Malfi. And these are only a few of his classical roles. He’s also played a variety of royals, including Hamlet, Macbeth, the King of Spain and, most recently, Oedipus.

Now he’s set to open at the King’s Head in Islington, in Los Feliz, one of three one-actor plays in Californian Lives, by award-winning writer Martin Foreman. “My character is a misogynist, at odds with the time and place he lives in. Unempathetic, lonely, competitive.” Anything like Robin himself? “Hopefully not a great deal! Despite his faults, I like him and find myself feeling sorry for him. We don’t have much common ground, although I am very competitive.”

As his acting history shows, Robin is used to playing complex characters, perhaps none more so than Jekyll / Hyde in The Scandalous Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, for which he was nominated for Best Actor in the 2011 Off West End Awards. He has appeared in theatres all over London and is currently a leading light at the Lazarus Theatre Company and works with Paul Holden to produce innovative short films.

It’s thanks to Robin that Californian Lives was written in the first place. “Last year I was acting with Martin in The Duchess of Malfi and read his short story collection First and Fiftieth. There are some terrific stories there that make great monologues. I asked if I could do one and suggested he put on others as well. Which he did. There was a short trial run at the Lord Stanley in Camden last year and that led to this full-scale production.”

Robin’s character has to get through a meal in the course of the short play. Nothing should go wrong, but “In a production of Sleuth one snazzy special effect involved a whisky tumbler being shot from my hand. Unfortunately it was placed wrongly and ended up being filled with drink. Being made of sugar glass it held out admirably for about two minutes before I made an exuberant gesture and the bottom dropped out, dispensing the contents into the lap of an unfortunate lady in the front row.”

When the show is over, Robin is already almost home. “For the last three years I’ve lived literally a stone’s throw away from the King’s Head Theatre and Pub, so it will be great to finally work there. At the least it’s a very short stagger home!”

Californian Lives is written by award-winning playwright Martin Foreman and features Robin Holden in Los Feliz, John Vernon in Ben and Joe’s and Carolyn Lyster in Sunset. Underlying each story are the common theme of intimacy and trust: how well do we know those who are closest to us? The six-week run opens on 21st April - book tickets through the link on the right.

And yes - you have just read through a press release . . .