Phil Bowen was born in Liverpool in 1949 where he taught Drama until 1979. He has worked as a full-time writer, performer and teacher since 1994. Work from his first full collection ‘Variety’s Hammer’ was selected for The Forward Anthology of 1998. His biography of the Mersey Poets ‘A Gallery to Play to’ has recently been updated and republished by Liverpool University Press and he written four plays for the stage.