Phillip James Rouse (he/him) was born and raised in Melbourne/Naarm, Australia. After graduating with honours from Monash University in 2011, he was accepted into the directors course at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA). He has since worked in London, Sydney, Melbourne, and Far North Queensland in opera, theatre, musical theatre, and film. 

 

In 2013 Phil launched Don’t Look Away to pursue his deepening interest in Australian writers. DLA productions include Rooted by Alex Buzo, The Legend of King O’Malley by Michael Boddy and Bob Ellis, The Great God Mogadon by Barry Oakley, The Rivers of China by Alma De Groen, A Property of the Clan by Nick Enright, Inner Voices by Louis Nowra, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui by Bertolt Brecht, Babes in the Woods: A Tale of Purity Defil'd by Tom Wright, and Frankenstein by Lally Katz.

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Phil's first original work Night Slows Down premiered in 2017. An urgent response to the problems of far-right populism across the world. This was the final work of Don't Look Away. 

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In 2018, Phil moved to London and trained in playwriting at the National Theatre. He produced and directed A Winning Hazard (2018), a trio of plays by J.P. Woolard at The Finborough Theatre. And wrote It'll make you feel better for Theatre 503 (2019).

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Since 2018 his focus has been on film work and playwriting. He has written and directed three short films: The Interpreter (2019), When the West is Done with You (2020), and The Last Lesson (2022). In 2018 he won the Silver Gull Award for his play Lions and Tigers and Bears. In 2019 Teenage Wildlife was listed in the top 20 plays at the 2019 Papatango Playwrighting award. 

 

He has acted as assistant director for Sydney Theatre Company (Arcadia, After Dinner) and Melbourne Theatre Company (Birdland), and observed with Simon Phillips at Opera Australia (Falstaff). In 2015 he was part of the inaugural Theatre Works Director's Lab as a part of the Melbourne Festival and was nominated by STC to attend the Playwriting Australia director's studio 2015. 

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Phil's theatre has been nominated for awards across Victoria, New South Wales and London and his film work as screened across North America and Europe.

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