Phil Bowen
Encyclopedia
Philip Hugh Bowen is a British
poet
, playwright
, performer, teacher
and biographer. He grew up in Liverpool
where he taught from 1972–1979. During the eighties he was a publican
before becoming a full time writer in 1992. He lives in Cornwall
and works all over the country as a performer and writer in schools.
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
, performer, teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
and biographer. He grew up in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
where he taught from 1972–1979. During the eighties he was a publican
Publican
In antiquity, publicans were public contractors, in which role they often supplied the Roman legions and military, managed the collection of port duties, and oversaw public building projects...
before becoming a full time writer in 1992. He lives in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
and works all over the country as a performer and writer in schools.
Poetry
- That Was Peter Glaze – Ure Press – 1993,
- The Professor’s Boots – Westwords – 1994,
- Jewels & Binoculars (Ed) – Stride 1994,
- Things We Said Today (Ed) Stride -1995,
- Variety’s Hammer – Stride – 1997,
- Starfly – Stride – 2004,
- Nowhere’s Far – New & Selected Poems 1990–2009 – Salt Publications,
As Contributor
- Hepworth –Westwords – 1993,
- Return to Sender – Headlock – 1994,
- The Bridport Anthology – Sansom - 1995,
- The Forward Anthology – Forward – 1998,
- Paradise for Sale – Arts Council Collection – 1998,
- Welsh Routes – Liverpool Community Spirit – 2006,
- Hidden Histories – Exeter University – 2007,
- You Have Been Warned – Oxford - 2008,
Prose
- A Gallery to Play to – the story of the Mersey Poets – Stride – 1998, Updated and republished – Liverpool University Press - 2008.
Plays
- A Handful Of Rain: New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, EdinburghEdinburghEdinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Swansea, New End Theatre – 1999 - 2002, - The Same Boat: SwanseaSwanseaSwansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
, Cardiff and at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2003/4, - The Other Side of the Words: Swansea Penzance in 2004 – St Ives 2006,
- Chimney Kids– (a musical for children with Paul Butler): Camborne, 2004, Swansea 2006,
- Anything But Love: New End London 2007, Swansea 2008, St Ives Festival 2009, Cheltenham Literature Festival 2010
- Parlez Vous Jig Jig: Swansea, 2004, 2006, Shakespeare Link, Powys, Rosemary Branch, London 2008.
- A Case of the Poet: London 2006, Hull 2007,
Other publications
- Crafting Poetry – Original Writing for GCSE Readings by Phil Bowen – DMEC
- The Blue Hand DVD (DMEC)
- Adventures in Poetry – Radio 4 - Tonight at Noon – Adrian Henri 2004
- Centre of the Creative Universe – Liverpool & the Avant-Garde – Liverpool University Press and Tate Liverpool – 2007 . Revisiting Allen Ginsberg’s Liverpool trip in 1965….
Radio, Television and Film
- Poetry Please
- Write Out Loud
- Something Understood
- The Archive Hour
- Adventures in Poetry - Radio 4
- Happy Birthday Poetry - Radio 2
- London Weekend TV
- Laughing Gas (Andrew Lanyon Films) - Mister Aquaviva Pilot for Theta Films 2007/08
External links
- Poetry Lesson http://www.poetryclass.net/lesson12.htm
- The Playwrights Database - Phil Bowen http://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsB/bowen-phil.html
- Phil Bowen: Generosity and Power in Poetry – from a talk by the poet and playwright at the fiftieth anniversary celebration at The Dylan Thomas Festival 2003 http://www.poetrysociety.org.uk/content/archives/places/torbus
- Phil Bowen on topofthetree http://www.topofthetree.info/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=53&Itemid=60