Phillip Mann was born in Yorkshire in 1942. He studied English and Drama at Manchester University and later in California. He worked for the New China News Agency in Beijing for two years, but since 1969 has lived principally in New Zealand, where he held the position of Professor of drama at Victoria University, Wellington, until he retired in 1998. He also worked as a professional theatre director with a special interest in directing new plays, the classics and the works of Brecht.