HOME

Birmingham

Poet Laureate

2011-2012

Jan Watts

POET, PLAYWRIGHT Birmingham Poet Laureate Vlog Diary on YouTube go to jantegla

Collection

COLLECTION

Just completed

UnCommon Ground -Poppy Seed Travels Back in Time

Empty Talk! - Journey through Poetry

Now working on

Erdington Library's Writers' Retreat 16th April 2012 - all about poetry this time.

New play for Portsoy

Editing 'Cuz I'm Mixed' for Sharon Jones.

Memoir Book for Erdington

Statues of Birmingham Dancing Poems

About

ABOUT ME

I have a background in teaching Drama in schools - Expressive Arts GCSE and A Level Performing Arts. I have also taught Creative Writing to adults, both in adult education classes and in prisons. I was Writer in Residence at HMYOI Swinfen Hall. During my time working in prisons, I edited three prison magazines and a book of 'Life Stories in 50 words'.I am the tutor for the Creative Writing Group - Pens of Erdington. There are two sessions each month. The first Wednesday members work on themes that I suggest and on the second Wednesday, each person works on their own long term project. We meet at Erdington Library's new community room from 1.30 -3.30pm.I was on the Board of Directors of Birmingham REP Theatre for six years and I'm a former Board member of the ICWP.I present The Crumble on Rhubarb Radio on Fridays at 12 noon. this is a talk show that presents performance, news about the Arts and the canal.I live by the canal in Birmingham in the centre of the UK. I am now quite a senior member of a large, diverse and happy family.

Press

SUCCESSES

2011

Birmingham Poet Laureate

Publication of 'Empty Talk!'

Erdington Library's Writers' Retreat

CAKE!! production in Portsoy

Artsfest - readings

2010

Second Coming and Evidence of Beryl Knox-Johnson performed at the Cafe Abris in Digbeth

Cake! 'Le Piccole Donne Di Puccini' and 'ZIPLINE' available in paperback.

'Second Coming' third prize in the Manawatu International Playwriting Competition in New Zealand 2010

First STAND UP Set in Cambridge - COMEDY AT ITS FRESHEST -May 2010

FROCK shortlisted by Slingink

2009

MPhil in Playwriting University of Birmingham UK

Two productions of Cake!

Two productions of 'The Providence Cafe'

'Messy Jessie' shortlisted for the Imaginosity Prize

'Knot Cottage' longlisted for the Loft Theatre Competition

Guest on Chris Morgan's Poetry Radio Show

2008

'Icarus' - third prize in the Manawatu International Playwriting Competition in New Zealand 2008

Production of 'Icarus' in Palmerston North, New Zealand

Shortlisted for Birmingham's Poet Laurete post

Contact

CONTACT

Jan Watts

roaringgreasepaint_hotmail.co.uk

phone

+44 (0) 1214334389

YOU TUBE I'm Jantegla

To book

Birmingham Poet Laureate - contact Nikki Bi at Birmingham Library Service

nikki.bi_birmingham.gov.uk

Lisa's No Pizza

www.stopbullying.org

HOME

EMPTY TALK ! A Journey in Poetry

Visit Tunisia and Merthyr Tydfil amongst other places in this memorable anthology.

Listen to a Poem here

Victoria Square Dance.mp3

Games Poem.mp3

ROARING GREASEPAINT

....but still she persists.

Erdington Library's Writers' Retreat

First & Free - a GREAT week enjoyed by all

'This is the first Retreat I have ever been to - and I loved every moment of it! ' 'Warm, welcoming atmosphere' 'Inspirational'

The NEXT Writer's Retreat on POETRY - 16th April, 2012

Collection

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About

Here is my office, where I sit on my funny stool that is supposed to look after my back. If I don't sit correctly, I fall under the desk and loss my knees.

There is a stove in the fireplace that will burn anything. It's often tropical in here. Can you feel the heat?

Behind me is the dog's basket. He is sitting there now. He is snoring, but as soon as I move he is up and expecting walkies.

I have a WW 11 utility armchair that is covered by a beautiful Welsh tapistry blanket. I had it as a child - black and mustard. The chair acts as a filing cabinet with piles of books and boxes balanced haphazardly on it.

Hanging at the window, I have eight puppets. I used to be a puppeteer and I love them, but are they keeping me here chained to my Granny Smith computer? I think sometimes that they are.