Kevin Fegan

Kevin Fegan is a British-Irish playwright and poet, known for his work in theatre, radio, and poetry. Over his career, he has written more than 50 original plays, published 10 collections of poetry, and edited several anthologies. Many of his works have been commissioned by major theatres across the United Kingdom. Fegan is recognised for his innovative site-specific productions, adaptations of real-life stories, and contributions to live literature and radio drama.
His writing style often blends prose and verse. His work explores a wide range of subjects, frequently focusing on the voices of disadvantaged communities, identity, artistic expression among non-professional artists, and the industrial regions of Britain.
His stage productions range from traditional one-person shows to large-scale multi-media performances. Notable works include ''The Palace of Varieties: The Life and Times of Dennis Skinner, Bess: The Commoner Queen, Obama: The Mamba, Fireflies, Slave: A Question of Freedom, White Trash, 52 Degrees South, Private Times, Excess XS, Strange Attractors, and Rule 43.''

Theatre

Recent commissions include The Palace of Varieties – life and times of Dennis Skinner, performed at Derby Theatre in early 2022., The Ruck at Lawrence Batley Theatre then national tour, Down The Line and Bess - the Commoner Queen opening at The Guildhall Theatre Derby then also commencing on a national tour.
Obama the Mamba, about Barack Obama's Kenyan brother, George Hussein Obama, was a co-production for Curve Theatre Leicester and The Lowry Salford and was Nominated Best New Play Manchester Theatre Awards 2012.
Fegan's other recent plays for The Lowry Salford include Slave produced by Feelgood Theatre at The Lowry in 2010, followed by a national tour in 2011 ;
Fireflies: a love story waiting to happen commissioned & produced by The Lowry ; a 2008 studio play, The Forest; adaptations of Love on the Dole and Oh Wot A Lovely War, both commissioned & produced by The Lowry.
His early stage plays for Contact Theatre Manchester include McAlpine’s Fusilier ; Excess XS and Strange Attractors: love in a virtual world. Other early plays include Private Times for The Library Theatre Manchester & in 1999 performed by prisoners and staff at H.M.Prison Grendon and Rule 43 and the community play for Moss Side/Hulme in 1993 Game Challenge Level 7.
His large-scale site-specific work includes Lord Dynamite, a Welfare State International production for L.I.F.T.’91, The Clay Man at Upper Campfield Market Manchester, Seven-Tenths for Walk the Plank Theatre Ship, 52 Degrees South at the Imperial War Museum North which was a Commonwealth Games Cultureshock production and Winner of Best New Play Manchester Evening News Theatre Awards 2002, Captured Live and Not Much Matches Mansfield.
His devised work includes Quarantine's award-winning White Trash.
His plays for young people include Get Real, The Ghosts of Crime Lake, When Frankenstein Came to Matlock, ABC123 and The Selkie Boy and Wan2tlk?.

Poetry and Print

Fegan has published ten books of poetry and edited over a dozen anthologies. He has performed widely at live literature venues across the UK and his poetry has appeared in multiple publications, such as the New Statesman and Index on Censorship. Several of his dramatic poems, including Matey Boy, Racer, Blast, and Let Your Left Hand Sing, have toured nationally. Racer and Blast were originally commissioned as radio dramas for BBC Radio 4 and were later adapted for the stage. Let Your Left Hand Sing was commissioned as part of the 2002 Commonwealth Games Cultural Programme.
His most recent poetry collections include Away Pitch, as part of the Olympic Games Cultural Programme. The project, which paired regional artists with athletes, received the Inspire Mark award from the London 2012 organisers. The Singing Tree was commissioned by Corby Community Arts and published in the book Our Corby, reflecting the town’s diverse communities.
Between the late 80’s and mid 90’s, Fegan relaunched the Amazing Colossal Press, editing and publishing a series of first collections for fellow poets. He has also compiled and edited a number of community-focused anthologies, including Fabulous, published by People Express, celebrating the lives of women in South Derbyshire.

Title	Year	Publisher/Commissioning Body	Notes
The Blue Balloon	1988, 1990	The Amazing Colossal Press	Collection inspired by Fegan’s residency at Stocken Prison.
Matey Boy	1990	Iron Press / Welfare State International	Book-length dramatic poem about a Trident shipyard worker.
The Space Between Us	1991	A Twist in the Tail	Collection of poems, with foreword by Henry Normal
Let Your Left Hand Sing	2002, 2008	Five Leaves	Book-length long poem about migration. Toured nationally.
Blast	2002 - 2004	Five Leaves / BBC Radio 4	Dramatic poem about a Sheffield steelworker, commissioned by BBC Radio 4, adapted for stage at Contact Theatre. Nominated for a Sony Award.
Racer	2003	Five Leaves / BBC Radio 4	Book-length dramatic poem about Isle of Man TT racing. Commissioned & broadcast by BBC Radio 4.
A Will of Iron	2004	Amber Valley Artery Project	Commission celebrating the village of Ironville.
Iron in the Blood	2005	Amber Valley Artery Project	Sequel to A Will of Iron, co-written with Roy Bainton.
Away Pitch	2011	The Brewhouse, Burton-on-Trent	Cultural Olympiad commission on sports and art. Winner of an Inspire Mark Award.
The Singing Tree	2012	Corby Community Arts	Reflecting the diverse communities of Corby. Published within Our Corby.

Radio, Film and TV

Fegan has written several original radio dramas commissioned by BBC Radio 4, spanning drama, documentary, comedy, and verse. His radio works include eight produced plays. Notable titles include In Denial: The Story of Paul Blackburn, Blast, The Classic Serial drama In A Grove, and the 15-part Woman’s Hour Drama Serial The Furys.

Year	Title	Format	Notes
2007	In Denial: the Story of Paul Blackburn	Friday Night Play	Verse drama-documentary about a miscarriage of justice case. Featuring Paul Blackburn as himself.
2002	Racer	Afternoon Play	Dramatic poem about the Isle of Man TT races, performed by Paul McGann, including interviews with TT riders and staff.
2002	The Tuner	Friday Night Play	Follows an ex-miner who receives a call from a stranger.
2001	The Furys	Woman’s Hour Drama Serial	15-part daily serial. Dramatization of five novels by James Hanley, starring Brenda Fricker as Fanny Fury.
2001	Blast	Afternoon Play	Dramatic poem about the South Yorkshire steel industry, performed by Paul Copley. Includes interviews with former steelworkers. Published by Five Leaves. Nominated for Sony Award for Best Radio Drama.
2000	In A Grove	Classic Drama Serial	Adaptation of Akutagawa’s short story, starring Natasha McElhone, Gerard Murphy, and Jack Davenport.
1993	A Dark Corner of Our Democracy	The Monday Play	Commissioned but not produced. Drama-documentary about the Anthony Alexandrowicz miscarriage of justice case.
1989	Upon St. George’s Hill	The Monday Play	Comedy about a group of modern-day “diggers” recreating the English Civil War.
1985	The Joke Shop	Afternoon Play	About government schemes for the young unemployed.

He has also written and produced multiple short films, including Dancing in the Ruins, which was screened at Kino Manchester and the Institute of Contemporary Arts, winning a North West Arts Film Award. He has also worked as a storyline writer for Granada TV's Coronation Street.
Fegan has made several appearances in national and regional media, both performing and promoting his work. He has been featured on BBC Radio 4’s Encyclopedia Poetica, ITV’s Word of Mouth, Granada TV’s Celebration, and BBC Three’s Whine Gums. He also served as gatekeeper for VPRO's production George Hussein Obama and Granada TV’s The Curious Case of Alex.