Imogen Frances
.jpg)
Photo by Sipke
“Powerful, urgent, lyrical and searingly honest, Imogen' s work demands to be heard and speaks for the hopes, fears and rage of those trying to negotiate their way through the misogyny of modern life.”
~ Kate Mosse, Novelist
“Imogen reminds us that women are not rays of sunshine, but supercell storms.”
~ Female Arts Review
A playwright, poet, and spoken word artist crafting bold, queer-centric narratives
Imogen’s work as a playwright, poet, and spoken word artist is auto-fictional. Their work is playful, provocative, visceral and raw.
Imogen has written three plays; Woman (maybe), Star Cross'd, co-written with Tanya Bridgeman, and ; (pause before continuing). Each piece combines poetry with dialogue, has female-led and queer-centric narratives, and wrestle with sexuality, identity, love, addiction, pleasure, mental health & grief as central themes.
In their final year of drama school Imogen wrote and performed their own solo show - originally named Lava Lamps - which they toured to venues across London including The Churchill Theatre, RADA & The Etcetera Theatre. This show is now in further development and being showcased as part of the RECLAIM festival at The Northcott Theatre under its new title Woman (maybe).
In 2023 they were co-commissioned by Rose Bruford College, alongside Tanya Bridgeman (Soho Theatre Tony Craze Award, shortlisted writer), to adapt Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet into a contemporary spoken word piece, creating Star Cross’d; a queer love story exploring gender and class. And, their poetic and punchy play ; (pause before continuing) made the long list for the RSC’s 37 Plays Award. This is currently in development with Indiana Lown-Collins, winner of the JMK Award 2022, attached as the director.
They are looking for producers, venue partners & investors for their plays. If you’d like to know more or are in a position to collaborate or help, please contact Imogen.
'; (pause before continuing)' Artwork by Kate Florence.
; (pause before continuing)
A poetic, reckless, and raw drama of trauma, love & survival.
; (pause before continuing) is a semi-autobiographical play combining spoken word poetry, movement & sound through a non-linear narrative.
Social-worker and amateur kickboxer Mel is forced to take a period of leave from work due to ill health. Battling memories of her past, following the death of her father, she starts Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing therapy, bringing relationship with ex-partner and current housemate, Jimmy, to the forefront. Can Mel face the abusive nature of Jimmy’s behaviour when she still loves him? And, will either of them get to heal?
This play is currently in development with Indiana Lown-Collins attached as the director (JMK Award Winner & former Resident Associate Director at The Globe). Imogen is applying for funding opportunities, and looking for Angel Investors, enabling the play to be produced in 2025, so please do get in touch if you can help.
'Peckham Springs' from ; (pause before continuing). Music by Silas Barke.
.jpg)
Woman (maybe)
Woman (maybe) weaves together the tumultuous journeys of Lover, Worker and Mother as they grapple with societal pressures. A life-threatening diagnosis, a crumbling affair, and a looming custody battle, demand that they reckon with the roles they’ve been playing and reclaim their identities. A powerful new play championing the feminine and fluid within a patriarchal world.
Part poetry, part stand-up comedy, and part confessional story telling, this is a powerful new play championing the feminine and fluid identity within a patriarchal world.
The piece has received R&D space from The Young Vic and is currently being showcased as part of the RECLAIM festival at The Northcott Theatre. Imogen aims to stage the production in 2025 in rural venues across the South West of England, and London. If you are a venue, funding body, or Angel investor that wants to know more about this production, please contact Imogen.
Photo by Sipke
If Only We Knew
If Only We Knew was written in response to and inspired by the playtext Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov, in a version by Benedict Andrews. Imogen directed a project performance of this piece at Rose Bruford College, with a talented bunch of first year actors in June 2019. They wrote the poem as an offering to the cast, to thank them for their creative courage. Music created by cast members Lucinda Freeburn and George Rowlands. The poem was recorded by Verse on Screen, with cinematography by Ben Goffin and sound by Alex Yousri.
'If Only We Knew' Written and Spoken by Imogen Frances. Music by Lucinda Freeburn and George Rowlands. Cinematography by Ben Goffin. Sound by Alex Yousri
Purchase Imogen’s poetry inspired by myth, nature, and identity
Imogen is published in the photography & poetry anthology Hidden in Chaos by Chris Holmes, Trope Publishing. As a Devon & London-based poet, Imogen's work is often inspired by folklore, mythology & nature, and by contrast, the quality of city life. They enjoy exploring the vast spaces within gender & sexual identity and the landscapes of eros, intimacy & connection. Imogen is curious about the healing of trauma, and how we can embrace and walk alongside grief.
Imogen can often be found at street festivals, scratch nights, queer events and open mics performing their poems. They also sell their own hand-crafted and typed poetry works, which can make the perfect personalised gifts.
If you would like to book Imogen as a performance and spoken word poet for special occasions or events, or purchase some of their work, please do reach out!
