Phil Mansell is a playwright, author and illustrator. He originally trained at the London Film School where he specialised in script-writing, directing and animation, and had three films screened at the National Film Theatre.

After teaching film-making, photography and art, he moved into the world of advertising and PR and was a professional writer until he took early retirement from his job as Press and Communications Officer at the University of Wales, Newport where he also gained an MA in Multimedia and Information Design.

His full length play 'According to Claudia' was selected by Newport Playgoers Society to launch their 92nd season and won the Award for Theatre Show of the Year 2014 presented by entertainment and lifestyle magazine Voice. It also won the Best Play Award presented by the Gwent Drama League.

'Poor Yorick' was a winning entry in a competition run as part of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Open Stages project and was performed at both the 400-seat Dolman Theatre and Blackwood Little Theatre. 'Bunkered' was a winning entry in a golf-themed play-writing competition, judged by celebrated Welsh playwright Frank Vickery, to celebrate the Ryder Cup being held in Newport. The play enjoyed a week-long run at the Dolman Theatre. 'Caddying for Godot', a homage to Samuel Beckett, was short-listed in the same competition.

To date, Phil has had 12 plays published by Stage Scripts Ltd, and his plays have been performed across three continents. His comedy spoof ‘Look Out – He’s Got A Gun!’ which he also directed, met with great critical acclaim when it was premiered at Jávea Players Studio Theatre in December 2019.

He has had five books published in the Netherlands and Denmark, three books for teenagers and two books, which he also illustrated, for younger children. He has to date published five illustrated children’s books: ‘Uncle Mungo and the Great Wallaby Painting Contest’, ‘Arabella Saturday and The Circus Next Door’, ‘Mrs McBee’s Multicoloured Knees’, ‘What Do Pirates Have For Breakfast?’, ‘The Great Fish and Chips Robbery’, and ‘Where Do Pirates Go For A Picnic?’.  

His books are available from Amazon and selected bookshops. He has several other books and plays in the pipeline.