Owen Sheers
Writing
Biography
Owen Sheers (born 20 September 1974) is a Welsh poet, author, playwright and TV presenter. He was the first writer in residence to be appointed by any national rugby union team. Owen Sheers was born in Suva, Fiji in 1974, and brought up in Abergavenny, south Wales. He was educated at King Henry VIII School in Abergavenny, before going on to study at New College, Oxford and the University of East Anglia, where he completed an MA in Creative Writing. During his time at New College, Sheers captained the Oxford University Modern Pentathlon team. In 1999, Sheers received an Eric Gregory Award from the Society of Authors. His first collection of poetry, The Blue Book, was published by Seren in 2000. A collection of poems about family, first love and farming life, it was shortlisted for the Wales Book of the Year and the Forward Prize for 'Best First Collection'. Following this first publication, Sheers worked on the light entertainment television show The Big Breakfast as a researcher.[3] His debut prose work, The Dust Diaries, was published by Faber in 2004. A non-fiction narrative set in Zimbabwe, it won the Wales Book of the Year in 2005, and was also shortlisted for the Royal Society of Literature's Ondaatje Prize. In 2004 Sheers was Writer in Residence at The Wordsworth Trust and was selected as one of the Poetry Book Society’s 20 Next Generation Poets. Sheers' 2nd collection of poetry, Skirrid Hill (Seren, 2005) won a 2006 Somerset Maugham Award. Unicorns, almost his one man play based on the life and poetry of the WWII poet Keith Douglas was developed by Old Vic, New Voices, and performed by Joseph Fiennes. Owen is currently Professor of Creativity at Swansea University. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Known For
The Trick tells the story of world-renowned Professor Philip Jones; Director of Climate Research at the University of East Anglia, who back in 2009 found himself at the eye of an international media storm and the victim of cyberterrorism. With time running out against an unseen enemy, The Trick looks at the potentially devastating consequences to humanity from climate change denial; how a media storm undermined public confidence in the science and how the concept of ‘truth’ took a back seat causing us to lose a decade of action.
The Trick
To mark the 70th anniversary of the birth of the NHS, acclaimed poet Owen Sheers takes us on a journey that weaves the extraordinary story of the birthing of Nye Bevan's vision of free healthcare for all people with personal stories of the NHS in British society today.
To Provide All People
It is 1944 and the D-Day invasion has failed, Germany's army have successfully invaded England and the Nazi war-machine is now heading west towards Wales. A group of women in an isolated Welsh village near the English border wake up to discover all of the their husbands have mysteriously vanished. They have headed into the mountains to join the Resistance.
Resistance
Children's drama series following the contemporary adventures of a boy magician.
The Snow Spider
A film poem to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Aberfan disaster, written by Owen Sheers and performed by a stellar cast of Wales's best-known acting talent, including Michael Sheen, Jonathan Pryce, Sian Phillips, Eve Myles and Iwan Rheon, with some contributions from the local community.
Aberfan: The Green Hollow
Writer and poet Owen Sheers explores British art and literature inspired by the high seas.
Art of the Sea
Film version of the 72 hour Passion play performed in Port Talbot, Wales during Easter 2011
The Gospel of Us
Animated adaptation of the children's book by Michael Morpurgo. A shy little girl named Mimi finds a baby dragon and undertakes a perilous journey to return it to its mother.
Mimi and the Mountain Dragon
During the 2001 foot-and-mouth outbreak, Rhian and her brother Dewi struggle to keep the Welsh hill farm they inherited from their father running. As the disease reaches their doorstep, Rhian tries to control her increasingly unstable brother. Adaptation of the novel White Ravens by Owen Sheers.
Dirt Ash Meat
GALWAD was a multi-platform drama told in real-time over seven days online and on TV. The story culminated in a 4.5 hour continuous broadcast on Sky Arts combining a catch-up of the week's live streamed performances, a 90minute live finale and 60minute prerecorded drama. The production was a trilingual drama testing how a story could be distributed across broadcast, social media and live-streamed performance, bringing the skills of theatre, film and tv sectors together.
Galwad
A moving short film featuring Michael Sheen to launch the name switch from Brecon Beacon’s National Park to Bannau Brycheiniog – describing it as “a name from our past, to take us into our future."
Cynefin
Three young Bristol men deployed to Afghanistan are returning to the women in their lives. Now they must share the physical and psychological aftershocks of their service, Arthur, Hads and Taff find their journey home is their greatest battle.
Pink Mist
The Theatre Royal Masterclass Trust and the Royal British Legion presents The Two Worlds of Charlie F, a soldier’s view of service, injury and recovery. Moving from the war in Afghanistan, through the dream world of morphine-induced hallucinations, to the physio rooms of Headley Court, the play explores the consequences of injury, both physical and psychological, and its effects on others as the soldiers fight to win the new battle for survival at home. Taken from the personal experiences of wounded, injured and sick service personnel The Two Worlds of Charlie F is a darkly comic, authentic and uplifting tale of survival, made even more powerful by the soldiers performing it themselves. Although the play is inspired by actual experiences, the names of the characters have been changed. A play by Owen Sheers Directed by Stephen Rayne Composed by Jason Carr Designed by Anthony Lamble Lighting Design William Reynolds Filmed by Uppercut Films Ltd
The Two Worlds Of Charlie F
Famous for his womanising, drinking and tragic death, Dylan Thomas is the rock star of 20th-century poetry. But for Welsh poet Owen Sheers, his tempestuous life often obscures the power of his poetry. Sheers takes us on a journey that reveals Dylan Thomas as a visionary and a craftsman.