Robin Mitchell
Robin Mitchell is a Scottish writer and producer.
Career
Mitchell co-founded Edinburgh's Cadies & Witchery Tours in 1984. The name 'Cadies' was taken from the 18th-century Edinburgh 'Caddies'. The Scottish actor Kevin McKidd worked at The Cadies and Witchery Tours in Edinburgh while studying drama at Queen Margaret University.In May 1985, Mitchell and Macphail were Lothian Region winners of the Shell LiveWIRE Young Business Competition. He featured in the LiveWIRE magazine in 2012.
In August 1988, Mitchell bought at auction a calling card case made out of skin taken from the back of the left hand of the infamous bodysnatcher William Burke. The calling card case for many years was loaned to the Police Information Centre in Edinburgh's Royal Mile. It is now displayed in The Cadies & Witchery Tours shop in Edinburgh's West Bow. In 1997 the calling card case featured as part of the Wellcome Trust's exhibition Dr Death: Medicine at the End of Life. The calling card case featured on the BBC's Antiques Roadshow in May 2007 with Michael Aspel and on the Channel 4 show Four Rooms on Wednesday 25 April 2012.
The Cadies & Witchery Tours were presented with commendation by Bill Heron Trophy 1990 for outstanding contribution to Scottish Tourism – Highly Commended and in 1992 The Cadies & Witchery Tours were awarded runner up in the Small Business Marketing category of the Scottish Tourist Board's Scottish Thistle Awards for Tourism.
A Ghoulish Delight was the title of a case study written by Dr. Keith Halcro in 1995 about The Cadies & Witchery Tours. It was compiled while Halcro was a lecturer at Queen Margaret University, prior to his present role as senior lecturer at Glasgow Caledonian University. The case study was joint winner of the 1995 Scottish Enterprise. New Case Writing Competition.
In August 2009, Mitchell was selected to appear on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square London as part of Antony Gormley's One and Other art project.
In March 2017, Robin presented the Loretto Lecture entitled "Dead For A Living" at Pinkie House, Loretto School, Musselburgh. Previous speakers at the now well-established lecture series have included peace activist Colin Parry, Edinburgh artist Richard Demarco, former Secretary of State for Scotland Michael Moore, and broadcaster and journalist Lesley Riddoch.
Mitchell's published books include Adam Lyal's Witchery Tales, Grave Robbers, What's Under the Kilt?, Princess Pumpalot and Princess Pumpalot: The Super-Farting Bean Mystery. He has also written comedy sketches for BBC Radio Scotland.
Mitchell's has written the following stage plays: Princess Pumpalot , Princess Pumpalot: The Quest for the Purple Super-Farting Bean, May I Have The Bill, Please?, and Princess Pumpalot: The Ghostly Farting Monk Hunt.
Mitchell's has produced several films including Adam Lyal's Royal Mile, Georgian Edinburgh: Tales of the New Town, St. Andrews: Ghost, Gowns & Golfers, The Ghosts of Scotland, And So Goodbye, The Rest is Silence, Finding Bob McArthur, Breadmakers, The Scottish Parliament: Following the Ghost Road, William McLaren – An Artist Out of Time, About A Band, The Download Horror and A Tale Of Two Syrias.
Mitchell's television and radio appearances include Pebble Mill at One, The Jimmie Macgregor Show, People Show, New Venturers, Blue Peter, This Morning, The Big Breakfast, Kit And The Widow's Grand Tour, Noel's House Party, Style Challenge, Holiday, Ready Steady Cook, Four Rooms, Near FM 90.3 FM, K107 FM John Murray, The John Beattie Show and Walking Victorian Britain.