Pete Shaw is a British author, broadcaster,

programmer A programmer, computer programmer or coder is an author of computer source code someone with skill in computer programming. The professional titles Software development, ''software developer'' and Software engineering, ''software engineer' ...

and theatrical producer.

Early life

Shaw attended school in

Stanwell Stanwell is a village in the Borough of Spelthorne, Spelthorne district, in Surrey, England. It is west of central London. A small corner of its land is used as industrial land for nearby Heathrow Airport. The rest of the village is made up o ...

Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, former county in South East England, now mainly within Greater London. Its boundaries largely followed three rivers: the River Thames, Thames in the south, the River Lea, Le ...

. While at Stanwell Secondary School, he was introduced by a school friend to

Tim Hartnell Tim Hartnell (1951–1991) was an Australian journalist, self-taught programmer and author of books and magazines on computer games. He set up The National ZX80 User Group with Trevor Sharples in 1980 producing a more-or-less monthly magazine en ...

, the co-owner of Interface Publication, the other owner being his school friend's mother, Sue North. His first published computer program was ''The Elephant's Graveyard'', written for the

Sinclair Sinclair may refer to: Places * Lake Sinclair, near Milledgeville, Georgia * Mount Sinclair, Canada * Sinclair, Iowa * Sinclair, West Virginia * Sinclair, Wyoming * Sinclair Mills, British Columbia * Sinclair Township, Minnesota * Sincl ...

ZX81 The ZX81 is a home computer that was produced by Sinclair Research and manufactured in Dundee, Scotland, by Timex Corporation. It was launched in the United Kingdom in March 1981 as the successor to Sinclair's ZX80 and designed to be a low-c ...

and published in the magazine ''ZX Computing'' in August 1982.The Type In Fantastic
''Jim Grimwood''. URL last accessed on 22 March 2007.

Career

Shaw's first book, ''Games for your ZX Spectrum'',
''Phil Cornes and Mike Turner''. URL last accessed on 22 March 2007. followed at the end of 1982 and was published by

Virgin Books Virgin Books is a British book publisher 90% owned by the publishing group Random House, and 10% owned by Virgin Group, the company originally set up by Richard Branson as a record company. History Virgin established its book publishing ...

in conjunction with Interface Publications and was an early title in a series of ''Games For Your ...'' books published by Virgin. Shaw himself wrote three more books for the series, including ''Games for your Oric'',Concurrent Affairs
''John Torofex''. URL last accessed on 22 March 2007. ''More Games for your Oric'' and ''Games for your Sinclair QL''.Sinclair User
''QL News''. URL last accessed on 22 March 2007. Shaw also co-wrote two books designed to teach the adventure game genre, ''Creating Adventures on your ZX Spectrum'' (Interface Publications, 1983)Micro Adventure
''John Fraser''. URL last accessed on 22 March 2007. and ''Creating Adventure on your BBC Micro'' (Interface Publications, 1985). Shaw's books mainly comprised ''Type-In'' program listings for home computers, which were designed to teach-as-you-type,My First Programming Book
''Alberto Garcia''. URL last accessed on 22 March 2007. since the programs contained many comments on how the listing worked. Before he even left school, Shaw was a regular contributor to ZX Computing and Home Computer Weekly, and on leaving

Secondary School he turned down a sought after place at Isleworth Art College to work full-time for the newly launched computer magazine ''

Your Spectrum ''Your Sinclair'', originally ''Your Spectrum'' or ''YS'', is a discontinued British computer magazine for the Sinclair range of computers, mainly the ZX Spectrum. It was commercially published between 1984 and 1993. History The magazine was la ...

''. It was at Your Spectrum (which later was relaunched as ''Your Sinclair''Your Spectrum Unofficial Archive
''Jim Grimwood''. URL last accessed on 22 March 2007.) that Shaw picked up the nickname ''Troubleshootin' Pete'' due to his regular column in the magazine in which he would answer reader questions that had been posed over the ''YS Helpline''. Shaw's official title at ''Your Sinclair'' was Editorial Assistant when he first joined, but he was promoted to Deputy Editor within a year of joining the staff. ''Your Sinclair'' was published by

Dennis Publishing Dennis Publishing Ltd. was a British publisher. It was founded in 1973 by Felix Dennis. Its first publication was a kung-fu magazine. Most of its titles now belong to Future plc. In the 1980s, it became a leading publisher of computer enthusi ...

, and Shaw also contributed to other Dennis magazines including ''Your 64'', '' Computer Shopper'' and ''

MacUser ''MacUser'' was a monthly (formerly biweekly) computer magazine published by Dennis Publishing Ltd. and licensed by Felden in the UK. It ceased publication in 2015. In 1985 Felix Dennis’ Dennis Publishing, the creators of MacUser in the UK, l ...

''. While still Deputy Editor of ''Your Sinclair'', Shaw also contributed to a weekly

Capital Radio Capital London is an Independent Local Radio station owned and operated by Global Media & Entertainment as part of its national Capital (radio network), Capital Network. As Capital Radio it was launched in the London area in 1973 as one of Bri ...

children's show called ''XYZ on Air'', broadcast every Sunday and hosted by DJ Kelly Temple. The show was an eclectic mix of music, interviews, features and the 'Computerworld' slot hosted by Pete Shaw. It was Shaw's association with Capital Radio that brought about, ''The Capital Radio Book of Computers and Simple Programming'' (NeatQuest, 1985),YS Frontlines
''Your Spectrum''. URL last accessed on 22 March 2007. co-written with Kelly Temple and Your Spectrum's original Editor, Roger Munford. Before 1985 was out, Shaw had written at least eleven computer technical books, published around the world and in several languages.

Bibliography

*''Games for your ZX Spectrum'' (

, 1982) World of Spectrum
''worldofspectrum.org''. URL last accessed on 20 March 2007. **Re-released as ''Spiele für Ihren ZX Spectrum'' (Huber, Germany), ''Spelletjes voor Je ZX Spectrum deel 1'' (Netherlands), ''Games for your Timex-Sinclair 2000'' (Dell, USA) , ''Giochiamo con ZX Spectrum''Bergamo
''bergamo.it''. URL last accessed on 5 April 2007. (Giochi Elettronici, Italy) *''Games for your Oric'' (

, 1983) *''Getting Started on your Oric'' (Futura Publishing, 1983) *''Creating Adventures on the ZX Spectrum'' ( Interface Publications, 1983) **Re-released as ''Fantastische Avonturen voor je ZX Spectrum deel 1'' (Netherlands), ''Novas Aventuras no Seu ZX Spectrum'' (Editorial Presenca, Portugal) *''More Games for your Oric'' (

, 1984) *''Games for your Sinclair QL'' (

, 1984) *''More Games for your Sinclair QL'' (

, 1984)World of Spectrum
''worldofspectrum.org''. URL last accessed on 20 March 2007. *''Games QL Computers Play'' (

Corgi Books Transworld is a British publishing house in Ealing, London that is a division of Penguin Random House, one of the world's largest mass media groups. It was established in 1950 as the British division of American company Bantam Books. It publi ...

, 1985)World of Spectrum
''worldofspectrum.org''. URL last accessed on 20 March 2007. *''Creating Adventures on your BBC Micro'' (Interface Publications, 1985) *''Fantastic Adventures for your ZX Spectrum'' (Interface Publications, 1985) *''The Capital Radio Book of Computers and Computer Programming'' (NeatQuest, 1985) *''The V-Book: The Complete Guide to Flying with Virgin Atlantic'' (V-Flyer, 2004)

Since 2002

In 2002 Shaw produced

Patrick Wilde Patrick Wilde is an England, English playwright, screenwriter, actor, and director for television, film and theatre. Early work Most of Wilde's early work was centred on the classics. He played Hamlet, Mark Antony for ATC and Amnon in Tirso de ...

's play ''You Couldn't Make It Up'' at the

Gilded Balloon Gilded Balloon is a producer and promoter of live entertainment events, based in Edinburgh, Scotland, and best known as one of the Big Four venue operators at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe each August. The company has its origins in a venue kno ...

in Edinburgh. The show was Wilde's follow up to '' What's Wrong with Angry?'', which had debuted a decade earlier at the Lost Theatre in London.Wild Justice
''wildjustice.org''. URL last accessed on 20 March 2007. ''You Couldn't Make It Up'' was a

black comedy Black comedy, also known as black humor, bleak comedy, dark comedy, dark humor, gallows humor or morbid humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally ...

dealing with issues of sexuality, the agendas of TV and film production and male rape. The year after its premiere in Edinburgh, Shaw brought the show down to the New End Theatre,

Hampstead Hampstead () is an area in London, England, which lies northwest of Charing Cross, located mainly in the London Borough of Camden, with a small part in the London Borough of Barnet. It borders Highgate and Golders Green to the north, Belsiz ...

, London in 2003.Indie London
''Paul Nelson''. URL last accessed on 22 March 2007. In 2006 Shaw collaborated with Sir

Tim Rice Sir Timothy Miles Bindon Rice (born 10 November 1944) is an English songwriter. He is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote, among other shows, '' Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'', ''Jesus C ...

to produce his musical Blondel at the

Pleasance Pleasance may refer to: People * Pleasance Pendred (1864–1948), British women's rights activist and suffragette * Pleasance Smith (1773–1877), English letter writer, literary editor and centenarian * Richard Pleasance, Australian rock musici ...

Theatre in

Islington Islington ( ) is an inner-city area of north London, England, within the wider London Borough of Islington. It is a mainly residential district of Inner London, extending from Islington's #Islington High Street, High Street to Highbury Fields ...

.Tim Rice's Blondel – Abi Finley and Chris Grierson prepare for curtain up
''Jill Hallworth-Smith''. URL last accessed on 19 March 2007. Blondel was the first musical Rice wrote outside of his successful working partnership with

Andrew Lloyd Webber Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948) is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End theatre, West End and on Broadway theatre, Broad ...

. Telling the tale of medieval ministrel, Blondel, the musical is set in two acts. Shaw also created the poster artwork for revival of Blondel. In May 2008 Shaw took a new play by Matt Ian Kelly called Lightning Strikes to Dublin as part of the Dublin Gay Theatre Festival.Lightning Strikes
''Dublin Gay Theatre Festival''. URL last accessed on 1 May 2008. In August the same year, Shaw took ''What's Wrong with Angry?'' and ''Boys of the Empire'' to the Edinburgh Festival with

Glenn Chandler Glenn Chandler (born 12 March 1949) is a Scottish playwright, novelist, producer and theatre director. He has written plays for theatre and radio, original screenplays for television and films, television series, and also novels. His best known ...

, the latter of which he transferred to London at the

King's Head Theatre The King's Head Theatre, founded in 1970 by Dan Crawford, is an off-West End venue in London. The original venue was the oldest operating pub theatre in the UK. In 2024, the pub theatre, and the King's Head Theatre now operates from a purpose-b ...

for a limited run over Christmas 2008.Boys Of The Empire
''Boys of the Empire''. URL last accessed on 25 October 2008. In 2011 he worked with photographer Paul Reiffer to create the website for The Grapes, famously owned by

Evgeny Lebedev Evgeny Alexandrovich Lebedev, Baron Lebedev (, ; born 8 May 1980), is a Russian-British businessman, who owns Lebedev Holdings Ltd, which in turn owns the ''Evening Standard'' and ''ESTV'' ( ''London Live''). He is also an investor in ''The In ...

Sean Mathias Sean Gerard Mathias (born 14 March 1956) is a Welsh actor, director, and writer. He is known for directing the film '' Bent'' and for directing highly acclaimed theatre productions in London, New York City, Cape Town, Los Angeles and Sydney. ...

and

Ian McKellen Sir Ian Murray McKellen (born 25 May 1939) is an English actor. He has played roles on the screen and stage in genres ranging from Shakespearean dramas and modern theatre to popular fantasy and science fiction. He is regarded as a British cu ...

.The Grapes
, thegrapes.co.uk. In 2011 Shaw also collaborated with producer Danielle Tarento on ''Drowning on Dry Land'',Drowning On Dry Land
''Drowning on Dry Land''. URL last accessed on 20 May 2014. which led to a string of further shows including ''Parade'' (2011),Parade
''Parade''. URL last accessed on 20 May 2014. ''Noel & Gertie'' (2011),Noel & Gertie
''Noel & Gertie''. URL last accessed on 20 May 2014. ''Burlesque'' (2011),Burlesque
''Burlesque''. URL last accessed on 20 May 2014. ''

The Pitchfork Disney ''The Pitchfork Disney'' is a 1991 stage play by Philip Ridley. It was his first professional stage work, having also produced work as a visual artist, novelist, filmmaker, and scriptwriter for film and radio. The play premiered at the Bush Theat ...

'' (2012),The Pitchfork Disney
''The Pitchfork Disney''. URL last accessed on 20 May 2014. ''Mack & Mabel'' (2012),Mack & Mabel
''Mack & Mabel''. URL last accessed on 20 May 2014. ''Victor/Victoria'' (2012),Victor Victoria
''Victor/Victoria''. URL last accessed on 20 May 2014. ''Taboo'' (2012–2013)Taboo
''Taboo''. URL last accessed on 20 May 2014. ''Titanic'' (2013).,Titanic
''Titanic'' URL last accessed on 20 May 2014. ''Dogfight'' (2014), ''Man to Man'' (2014), ''The Grand Tour'' (2015), ''Grand Hotel'' (2015) and ''Dogfight In Concert'' (2015). In 2017 was producing in his own right again, taking Ian Lindsay's ''Chinese Whispers'' to

Greenwich Theatre Greenwich Theatre is a local theatre located in Croom's Hill close to the centre of Greenwich in south-east London. Theatre first came to Greenwich at the beginning of the 19th century during the famous Eastertide Greenwich Fair at which the Ri ...

for a two week run in July. The production starred Mark Farrelly,

Steve Nallon Steve Nallon (born 8 November 1960) is a British actor, writer, voice artist and impressionist. Nallon began his career as a stand-up performer on the northern club circuit in the 1970s. He is known for his work as a voice artist on the satir ...

, Peter Hardy, Matt Ian Kelly and Owl Young, with a cameo by Dermot Agnew. Shaw is the owner of Internet publication

Broadway Baby ''Broadway Baby'' is a British online review guide and arts news website which launched in 2004. It is the most prolific reviewing publication at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe from 2012 onward. It contains reviews of music, comedy, theatre and ...

br>
a reviews-based website particularly focused on fringe theatre. He has increased Broadway Baby's traffic considerably since its creation in 2004. Broadway Baby is now the largest reviewer at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe by some margin.Top rated shows at Edinburgh Fringe
''The List''. URL last accessed on 27 September 2015. He also started the Virgin Atlantic customer site, V-Flyer.com in 2003Interview with Pete Shaw
''vtravelled.com''. URL last accessed on 28 April 2011.
which regularly receives over 150,000 readers per month.V-Flyer Stats
''v-flyer.com''. URL last accessed on 19 March 2007. During the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020, Shaw wrote and released a mobile App called Boozr.Boozr app boosts hospitality with a social network for pub and bar crowd
''Daily Express''. URL last accessed on 3 September 2021. The App is a global database of pubs, bars and clubs with social networking features that allow you to connect with your friends.
''Tech Digest''. URL last accessed on 3 September 2021.App developed during lockdown aims to get customers back to the pub!
''Ontrade Progress''. URL last accessed on 3 September 2021.Lewisham man creates social-networking app for pub regulars
''News Shopper''. URL last accessed on 3 September 2021.When will beer gardens reopen? Key dates, and how to find your nearest pub
''Metro''. URL last accessed on 3 September 2021. He continues to write computer programs on a freelance basis.

Theatrical productions

*''You Couldn't Make It Up'' (

The Gilded Balloon Gilded Balloon is a producer and promoter of live entertainment events, based in Edinburgh, Scotland, and best known as one of the Big Four venue operators at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe each August. The company has its origins in a venue kno ...

, Edinburgh 2002) Producer *''You Couldn't Make It Up'' (

New End Theatre The New End Theatre, Hampstead, was an 80-seat fringe theatre venue in London, at 27 New End in the London Borough of Camden which operated from 1974 until 2011. It was founded in 1974 by Buddy Dalton in the converted mortuary of the now-defun ...

, London 2003) Producer *''Diana & Ross'' (

, Edinburgh 2004) Graphic Designer *''Blondel'' (

Islington, London 2006) Co-Producer with

*''Lightning Strikes'' (

Project Arts Centre Project Arts Centre is a multidisciplinary arts centre based in Temple Bar, Dublin, which hosts visual arts, theatre, dance, music, and performance. History Project Arts Centre was founded by Jim FitzGerald and Colm O'Briain in 1967 after a th ...

, Dublin 2008) Producer *''Boys of the Empire'' (C venues, Edinburgh 2008) Co-Producer with

*'' What's Wrong with Angry?'' (C venues, Edinburgh 2008) Co-Producer with

*''Boys of the Empire'' (

, Islington, London 2008) Co-Producer with

*''What's Wrong with Angry?'' (

, Islington, London 2009) Graphic Design & Sound Design *''Scouts in Bondage'' (

, Islington, London 2009) Producer *''Searching for Eden'' (C venues, Edinburgh 2009) Graphic Designer *''Rat Pack Live'' (C venues, Edinburgh 2009) Graphic Designer *''Blues Brothers Live'' (C venues, Edinburgh 2009) Graphic Designer *''Broadway Baby Revue'' (C venues, Edinburgh 2009) Producer *''The Best of Times'' (

Tristan Bates Theatre Sir Alan Arthur Bates (17 February 1934 – 27 December 2003) was an English actor who came to prominence in the Cinema of the United Kingdom#The 1960s, 1960s, when he appeared in films ranging from ''Whistle Down the Wind (film), Whistle Down ...

, London 2010) Graphic Designer *''Rat Pack Live'' (C venues, Edinburgh 2010) Graphic Designer *''Blues Brothers Live'' (C venues, Edinburgh 2010) Graphic Designer *''Elvis Live'' (C venues, Edinburgh 2010) Graphic Designer *''Fame, The Musical'' (C venues, Edinburgh 2010) Graphic Designer *''Jump'' (

, Edinburgh 2010) Graphic Designer *''The Crying Cherry'' (C venues, Edinburgh 2010) Graphic Designer *''Company'' (

Southwark Playhouse Southwark Playhouse is a theatre in London with two venues, both located between Borough and Elephant and Castle tube stations. History The Southwark Playhouse Theatre Company was founded in 1993 by Juliet Alderdice and Tom Wilson. They ident ...

, Southwark, London 2011) Marketing Consultant *''Drowning on Dry Land'' (

Jermyn Street Theatre Jermyn Street Theatre is a performance venue situated on Jermyn Street, in London's West End. It is an Off West End studio theatre. History Jermyn Street Theatre opened in August 1994. It was formerly the changing rooms for staff at a Spaghet ...

, West End, London 2011) Marketing Consultant *''What Goes Up'' (C venues, Edinburgh 2011) Graphic Designer *''Parade'' (

, Southwark, London 2011) Marketing Consultant *''Noel & Gertie'' (

Cockpit Theatre, Marylebone The Cockpit is a fringe theatre in Marylebone, London. Designed by Edward Mendelsohn and built in 1969–70 by the Inner London Education Authority (ILEA) as the ''Gateforth Youth Arts Centre'', it is London's first purpose-built Theatre i ...

, London 2011) Marketing Consultant *''Burlesque'' (

, West End, London 2011) Marketing Consultant *''The Pitchfork Disney'' (

Arcola Theatre Arcola Theatre is in the London Borough of Hackney. It presents plays, operas and musicals featuring established and emerging artists. The theatre building, in the former Colourworks paint factory on Ashwin Street, Dalston, houses two studio ...

, Dalston, London 2012) Production Team *''Mack & Mabel'' (

, Southwark, London 2012) Production Team *''Taboo'' ( Brixton Club House, Brixton, London 2012) Website Designer *''Victor/Victoria'' (

, Southwark, London 2012) Production Team *''Titanic'' (

, Southwark, London 2013) Production Team *''Parsifal and the Cup of Miracles'' (Gloucester Theatre 2014) Graphic Designer *''Dogfight'' (

, Southwark, London 2014) Production Team *''The Blue Flower'' (Gloucester Theatre 2014) Graphic Designer *''My Lifelong Love'' (

Garrick Theatre The Garrick Theatre is a West End theatre, located in Charing Cross Road, in the City of Westminster, named after the stage actor David Garrick. It opened in 1889 with ''The Profligate'', a play by Arthur Wing Pinero, and another Pinero play, ...

, West End, London 2014) Graphic Designer *''Man To Man'' ( Park Theatre, Finsbury Park, London 2014) Graphic Designer *''The Mikado'' (

Charing Cross Theatre The Charing Cross Theatre is an Off West End theatre under The Arches off Villiers Street below Charing Cross station. Founded in 1936, the venue occupied several premises in the West End of London before locating to its present site. The cur ...

, West End, London 2014) Graphic Designer *''The Grand Tour'' ( Finsborough Theatre, London 2015) Production Team *''Gods & Monsters'' (

, Southwark, London 2015) Production Team *''Yarico'' (London Theatre Workshop, Fulham 2015) Production Team with John and

Jodie Kidd Jodie Elizabeth Kidd (born 25 September 1978) is an English fashion model and television personality. Early life Named after Jodie Foster, Kidd was born in 1978 and is the daughter of the businessman and former showjumper Johnny Kidd. She is ...

*''Grand Hotel'' (

, Southwark, London 2015) Production Team *''Dogfight In Concert'' (

St James Theatre St. James Theatre is a Broadway theatre in New York City. St. James Theatre may also refer to: Australia * St. James Theatre, Sydney, multi-storey building in Elizabeth Street, not to be confused with diminutive St James' Hall, Sydney New Zeal ...

, West End, London 2015) Production Team *''The Tinderbox'' (

, West End, London 2015) Graphic Designer *''Piaf'' (

, West End, London 2015) Graphic Designer *''Grey Gardens'' (

, Southwark, London 2016) Production Team *''In The Bar Of A Tokyo Hotel'' (

, West End, London 2016) Graphic Designer *''Titanic'' (

, West End, London 2016) Production Team *''Brazil'' (New Town Theatre, Edinburgh Fringe 2016) Graphic Designer *''Allegro'' (

, Southwark, London 2016) Production Team *''Radio Times'' (

, West End, London 2016) Production Team *''Ragtime'' (

, West End, London 2016) Production Team *''O Come, All Ye Divas'' (

, West End, London 2016) Production Team *''Death Takes A Holiday'' (

, West End, London 2016) Production Team *''Chinese Whispers'' (

, Greenwich, London 2016) Producer *''Mother Courage And Her Children'' (

, Southwark, London 2017) Production Team *''Le Grand Mort'' (

Trafalgar Studios Trafalgar Theatre is a West End theatre in Whitehall, near Trafalgar Square, in the City of Westminster, London. The Grade II listed building was built in 1930 with interiors in the Art Deco style as the Whitehall Theatre; it regularly staged ...

, West End, London 2017) Production Team

References

External links

The YS Rock 'N' Roll Years
nbsp;– Unofficial site, dedicated to archiving games reviews and feature articles from the magazine.
YRUA? The ''Your Spectrum'' Unofficial Archive
nbsp;– Archive of articles from ''Your Sinclairs forerunner, ''Your Spectrum''.
''Your Sinclair'': A Celebration
nbsp;– Fan-written website detailing both YS and YS-related material.
''Broadway Baby''
nbsp;– Theatrical Reviews Site
''V-Flyer''
nbsp;– Virgin Atlantic travel site operated by Pete Shaw
''Boozr''
nbsp;– Boozr App {{DEFAULTSORT:Shaw, Pete Living people British video game programmers English theatre managers and producers English male journalists 1966 births