The Bard Magazine
(published by students of Bath Spa University)
Interview with Kevan Manwaring
One side of the Bardic tradition that I must admit I’m not too familiar with is the history of the Bardic Chair. In order to find out more about the historical side, there is really only one man in Bath to go to; Kevan Manwaring, winner of the Bardic chair in 1998 and editor of The Book of The Bardic Chair. Kevan has written several books including poetry, fiction ad non-fiction. The Book of the Bardic Chair is a fascinating incite into the history of the Bardic tradition both in Bath and further afield, including poetry from the Bards themselves, essays and profiles on other Bardic chairs from around the world. Kevan has been running courses and workshops in creative writing for the Open University, Skyros Writers' Lab and others for around ten years. He also co-runs the Bath Writers' Workshop and is the founder of the small press, Awen Publications. As a professional storyteller and performance poet he has appeared on BBC TV, in diverse venues across Britain and in the USA, Italy, Malta and Egypt.
BARD MAGAZINE: First of all; with all that you have going on poetry wise how do you find the time to fit it all in?
An army of clones ... (would be handy). Alas, the truth is more down-to-earth. However, prosaic it seems it comes down to effective time management and self-discipline. When I have a window of opportunity (i.e. a gap in my teaching workload) then I make the most of it. If I know I only have a week to do something, I make sure I get it done. Often I'm working away on several projects at once, at different stages of their 'life cycle' - and so I can 'nibble' away at them in those precious gaps. When I have more time/head-space, as in the summer holidays, then I block out something bigger - like a novel or screenplay - or 'blitz' a large project (i.e. complete a commission).
BM: Briefly, can you tell our readers, who may not know about the Bardic chair, what it is all about?
Basically, it's an annual contest for the best poet, storyteller or singer/song-writer in the B&NES area. It was started in 1995 by the late Tim Sebastian, who drew upon the works of Iolo Morgannwg (the inspiration behind the modern Welsh eisteddfod) and ancient Celtic tradition. He wanted it to celebrate the creative arts in the city - not just the spoken word, but other art forms (dance, cinema, sculpture...). Entrants participant in the Battle of the Bards every December and the winner gets to don the famous blue robes and keep the Chair (both made by a local craftspeople) for a 'year and a day'. Anyone 18 or over, living in the area, can enter. There's no typical winner: we've had young (20) and old (80); male and female; black and white; contemporary and traditional; and the full spectrum of poets, singers and storytellers win it - you don't have to be 'Celtic' or into Druidry to enter (I consider myself a Bard, not a Druid, and I live in the 21st Century!). The Chair is a platform for the winner's art, not any particular belief system or agenda. We've had a bards who are Buddhist, atheist, pagan, Christian, even a Zulu! Since Tim started the Bardic Chair here, they've sprung up in different towns across England (Glastonbury; Northampton; Peterborough; Exeter) and abroad (France; USA; Australia).
BM: how did you initially become involved in the world of poetry, what is it about performance poetry that you are so passionate about?
I came quite late to writing poetry - fortunately skipping the painful teenage angst phase! I started off studying Fine Art (performance art & film-making). In my Gap Year I hitched to Ireland and found my Muse - in Yeats Country - and started writing poetry. Didn't stop for about ten years! Discovering how difficult it was to get stuff published I started performing my poems at local open mics, just to 'get them out there'. You could write a poem that day and perform it that night - and get instant feedback. It was a buzz. Realised that if you made the effort to learn your words by heart, folk would be more willing to listen - more entertaining than having someone mumble from a shaking page! Having seen too many beginner poets murder their poems I knew the performance is just as important as the composition. Being able to stand up and shine - to say what you mean and mean what you say in an eloquent, entertaining way, is so empowering. Creative expression should be for everyone - pick your art form. For me, I found a home in the word: spoken and written.
BM: How did you become involved in Bath’s poetry scene?
I arrived in Bath late 1996 and a couple of years later I won the Bardic Chair with an epic poem ('Spring Fall: the story of Sulis and Bladud of Bath' - judged the winner by 4 academic judges, including Michael York and Marion Bowman of BSUC). This was performed as a piece of ritual theatre with my partner at the time. I was involved in creating the first Bardic Festival of Bath - 3 weeks of creativity and craziness around the city culminating in the first contest (before then the Bard was elected). Then, when I became Bard of Bath, (Dec '98-Dec '99) I set up and ran a monthly evening (The Bladud Society at the Bladud's Head in Larkhall); this dove-tailed organically into the Bath Storytelling Circle, founded by Anthony Nanson at the end of that year. Having encouraged folk to share Celtic tales and verse at TBS, I broadened out at the story circle - trying out material from around the world. Meanwhile, I attended the long-running Poetry and a Pint nights (hosted by Richard Carder on behalf of Poetry Can), first as a floor poet, then as a guest. In 2000 I became self-employed as a writer/performer/freelance tutor and ran regular workshops and events in Bath and beyond. I got slots at Glastonbury Festival and others over the summer - but developed long-term connections with the movers and shakers in the city's small but lively scene.
BM: What do you feel is an important roll for a bard?
To give voice to the voiceless; to sing the song of their community - tell its story; celebrate 'local distinctiveness' and cultural biodiversity. To promote the Oral Tradition. Live by example - and inspire others to honour their own creativity, to find their own voice. To use their imaginations and take control of their narrative.
BM: Have you formed close relationships with the more recent bards? Do you think that their poetic style has changed much from when you were The Bard of Bath?
I feel almost a paternal sensibility to the likes of young Jack - the current bard - half my age, and probably twice as talented and confident as I was then! Over the last few years we seem to have got into a kind of 'hip hop rut', which is certainly a contemporary voice and style, but it would be nice to bring back the magic of the early days (there, sounding like an old git). A Bard can be contemporary, but have depth - the fast-paced, play-it-for-laughs, give-me-the-most-applause Slam style doesn't have to be the default performance setting. Although that scene was a necessary blast of fresh air to the stuffy readings of the past, it's always good to raise the bar about what is acceptable, what is possible. Take the audience beyond their comfort zones. Credit them with some intelligence and they might appreciate it.
BM: What current affairs really interest you as a poet? What influences you to be creative and make poetry?
Environmental matters: the very real threats of Climate Change, Peak Oil and the resulting Resource Wars are going to be the most important issues of this century.
As for the second question - I'm motivated by my love for humanity and awe of the natural world and the universe. Landscape and legends have always inspired me. I wanted to shout about how beautiful this world can be and how amazing being alive is. I want to preserve for posterity the little epiphanies of daily life - and the hard-won lessons, when the penny finally drops.
BM: What advice would you give anybody interested in getting involved in performance poetry in Bath or elsewhere?
Write a batch of stuff, learn it by heart, and get out there. Be an open mic addict. You learn fastest in front of an audience - like a pilot having to maintain his license with flying hours, there's no substitute. Relax. Breathe. Find your centre. The more comfortable you are in front of a crowd, the better you'll be.
BM: your most recent collection of poetry The Immanent Moment came out in February, can you tell us a bit about the collection?
My friend, fellow poet and tutor, Jay Ramsay from Stroud, suggested I put together a new collection, even a selected works. Next year it'll be twenty years since I started as a poet, so that will be a good time to look back, but I felt the need to capture my personal zeitgeist. Reviewing my recent poems I realised I had enough for a new collection, summing up where I am right now - so I didn't want to leave it any longer. In The Immanent Moment I feel that I've reached a new plateau in my poetry - the language is less archaic, the subject matter not so obviously mythic or pagan. The gaze is turned inward as well as outward. It's my most personal, and I hope, authentic collection yet.
BM: what is your favourite theme to write/perform about?
The mythic in the mundane - when the worlds overlap - usually at places of special significance, eg a hill, well or wood associated with a famous writer, song or folk tale. I find these places especially numinous. I like how my experience merges with that of the genius loci, perhaps even contributing to it in some small way.
BM: anything else you think we should know? Any events that need to be written into our poetry calendars? Any up and coming poets you would recommend us to check out?
To quote Henry Miller: 'Do anything, but let it yield ecstasy.'
Would love to see you down at Garden of Awen - the monthly creative word showcase I run at the Chapel Arts Centre, Bath, on the first Sunday of the month, 7.30pm. We have special guests - fabulous poets, storytellers and musicians - and 'green shoots' floor spots on that month's theme. (April 4th: Tricks and Fools; May 2nd: Raising the May; June 6th: On The Verge - a Fringe Special). www.chapelarts.org
My next book, The Way of Awen: journey of a bard, is coming out from O Books in June (it's the long-awaited follow-up to my most well-known tome, The Bardic Handbook: the complete manual for the 21st Century Bard, Gothic Image 2006). There's going to be a launch event in Bath and then I'll be touring it throughout the summer - giving talks to interested groups. FFI: http://www.o-books.com/obookssite/book/detail/561
For workshops, performances, etc, check out my website for updates: www.kevanmanwaring.co.uk
Up-and-coming poets: Aidan Andrew Dunn; Jay Ramsay; Mary Palmer; Helen Moore; Rose Flint; Dawn Gorman; Gabrielle Millar; Irina Kuzminsky; Roselle Angwin...
