Trev Meaney
Biography: Trev Meaney is a spoken word/performance poet with 10 years of performance training and experience, including a BA (Hons) Drama and Creative Writing. He?processes a fast paced style with plenty of humour and ranges from political, to social observations to the damn right ludicrous. He has worked on many creative/artistic projects?as well as having performed at Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Kendal Calling Festival, Manchester Comedy Festival, Kendal Brewery Arts Centre, as well as for the Saatchi Gallery, plus many more. He also looks forward to performing at the Cheltenham Poetry Festival and the Cloudspotting Festival this year. In 2011 Trev won the open mic prize slam at Spotlight Lancaster and was published in ?Poetry Rivals? ? Forward Poetry?s end of year anthology. Born in his beloved southern Ireland he has lived in the wonderfully historical city of Lancaster for many years now.
Introduction: The LWH theme for May is Place.? Trev Meaney?s tremendous poem, Eire to me,?is the seventh and final of a collection of Place pieces commissioned by the Pretend Boss.?Trev has written about Ireland and there?s a video of?him performing?his poem if you click on the title or HERE (sorry if the syncing is a bit out).
Also, Trev agreed to be interviewed.? Part 1 of the interview is below and Part 2 will appear in an hour.
I particularly like?Trev because he?s observant, sensitive and?fall-over funny.? I also like him because he laughed?loudly at? something I was reading once (it was meant to be funny) and then came to me afterwards to tell me how much he?d enjoyed the story. Yes, he is that sensitive and yes, I am that shallow. However -?a word?to the wise?-?NEVER agree to be on stage after Trev Meaney; you might as well go home and?shampoo your tea-cosy collection.
KM. Hello Trev. Thank you for speaking to me. First of all, congratulations on being appointed Lancaster Library Poet in Residence!? I attended you first soiree, which was a sensational talent-fest.? What other plans do you have for the library?
TM. Thank you very much! Also thanks for coming along. I have many plans for the library but I am concentrating more on live poetry events, to give both established and less established poets a platform to show their poetry. It?s also an opportunity to showcase the wealth of talent Lancaster has as well as surrounding areas. I am also going to organise some open mic nights. However my partner and I, are expected our first child so I have to hold fire on organising events for a little while. I am also taking an active part in reading groups and working with high schools within the library.
KM. Many congratulations. Babies are the best thing! I hope all goes well. I believe you studied Drama and Creative Writing; where?
TM. Yes that?s right! I studied BA Hons Drama as my major and creative writing as my minor. It was at St Martin?s College, now known as the University of Cumbria.
KM. That?s where I did my Creative Writing degree, too! How spooky! (what with us having nearly the same initials and all). Some people are sceptical about whether creative writing can be taught; would you advise aspiring writers to go to university to learn about the craft? (do you think craft sound a bit poncey??)?
TM. I?m not sure to be honest. All I can say is, yes I did study, therefore I should have learnt the art of writing creatively. However, I didn?t really commit to studying whilst at uni but more so committed myself to lots of late nights and work related avoidance tactics. Perhaps I subconsciously picked up a few techniques up along the way but apart from that, what I have in regards to being creative is basically as they say ?au natural? (in the beauty industry?) and as for writing, grammar, punctuation etc, I probably learnt the basics at school, but then again I wasn?t half cooked through out that period of my life. I reckon if you apply yourself to a creative writing course you will most definitely be taught the fundamental rules and skills, but then it?s up to the individual.
KM. Have you always written?
TM. I used write, very much in secret and would have been horrified had anyone clapped eyes on my poems. It was a case of scribbling some words on a scrap of paper, wondering how profound it might sound and not actually feeling something that was true to me. I used to think ?Oh no, this will never be accepted?there?s not enough references to winter or blossoming violets and a lack of ?clever? words?. I almost felt ashamed, not good enough, not wise enough! But then I saw performance poetry! I discovered incorporating my drama training with my poetry gave me the confidence to express my words. Now I seem to get a bit aroused by the site of a pen and paper.
KM. Gosh! And are there particular individuals who have influenced your writing career?
TM. I?m very much a fan Irish author, Roddy Doyle. I love how everything he describes is jammed packed with comedy, poignancy, sentiment, and general Irish-ness. But that?s a far as it goes really.? I Enjoy a wide spectrum of authors and writers, but mainly to just have a gander at. What I find most influential is my surroundings, the people I see who walk around, unassumingly doing their business whilst I observe. The North is full of potential writing material.
KM. I know ? you can?t take three steps without tripping over inspiration can you?
to be continued?
Tags: Place, Pretend Boss, Trev Meaney
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