Queer feminist theatre: in conversation with Imogen Palmer
By Imogen Howse, Deputy Arts Editor, and Livi Player, Arts Editor
Epigram Arts speaks to Imogen Palmer about life as a working artist and her debut solo project IMOGENÉ: the improvised pop concert.
We asked Imogen Palmer to tell us a bit about herself. The first thing she mentioned was her proudest moment: when she was retweeted by Ru Paul while dressed as Ru Paul for a music legends party. 'This was a very significant moment for me in my drag queen journey,' she explains.
In addition to this, Imogen also enjoys brunch, is a huge fan of cycling, loves costumes, and is of course enamored by pop music. It's also worth noting that Imogen is the Artistic Director of Bristol-based theatre company The Delight Collective (The Bish Bosh Bash, Friends Like These) and is the Theatre School Manager for The Bristol Improv Theatre. It's safe to say she has a lot going for her!
IMOGENÉ, her debut show, is in Imogen’s words ‘a queer, feminist comedy clown show where I perform as an over-the top diva who needs the audience to help save her career by inspiring new songs for her latest album.’ It’s an interactive show which intersperses wild physical comedy and monologues about feminism, sexuality, rape culture and consent, with improvised songs based on chats with the audience. ‘It’s very funny and silly!’ Imogen exclaims excitedly.
What I love about Imogené is that she is an unapologetic, sometimes ridiculous, loud and proud queer person who isn’t afraid to be seen
It’s taken Imogen three years to complete this project and she makes sure to express her gratitude for the generosity of collaborators like Jack Drewry (Tremolo Theatre), who helped with music composition, and for the mentoring she received from Deanna Fleysher (Butt Kapinski), who Imogen says ‘is a phenomenal clown teacher and performer.’
Imogen had been doing improv for six years when she started experimenting with clown and solo work; this led to her slowly creating her show through performances at Scratch Nights. Imogen believes ‘improv is one of the best ways to discover organic moments of comedy, by nature of the fact that you have the immediate feedback of the audience.’ She also explains that it’s a great way to let go of perfectionism, citing improv as the creative pursuit that gave her the courage to take much greater risks in her professional and personal life while also helping her navigate her social anxiety.
Imogen emphasises how important it is for there to be more queerness - and more women - on stage
Conversation moves on to Imogen’s decision to use the genre of comedy to explore deeper and more thought-provoking issues. ‘What I love about Imogené,’ Imogen explains, ‘is that she is an unapologetic, sometimes ridiculous, loud and proud queer person who isn’t afraid to be seen. I love making people laugh whilst also giving them something to talk about in the pub later.’
Our discussion then takes a more emotive, political turn as Imogen emphasises how important it is for there to be more queerness – and more women – on stage, ‘especially in a world that seems to be regressing with Donald Trumps and Boris Johnsons in power...’
For any aspiring theatre-makers, artists or comedians, you may be interested to know that Imogen started out studying English at the University of Bristol, and spent much of her university experience performing with the Bristol Improv Society as well as a local group called Only Humour, which is now known as Degrees of Error. ‘I did the Edinburgh Fringe Festival every year with these companies for four years and learnt a lot!’ She exclaims.
After graduating and working for a couple of years in Bristol, Imogen went to Australia looking for adventure! She travelled for a while and worked for the Adelaide Fringe and the Melbourne Comedy Festival, which she considers as the place she received, in her own words, ‘an incredible education in the diversity of fringe theatre and comedy.’ Imogen then worked in retail while also completing a full-time acting course and performing with world-leading improvisation company Impro Melbourne. ‘This was a very formative time for me and a lot of my artistic practice and values were made during this time,’ she explains.
‘When I got back to Bristol, I found the comedy and improv scene reflected a depressed country (Brexit and Trump had both *just* been voted in).’ Imogen wanted to offer something different to the angry and sad stories in which characters were simply being horrible to each other, with her theatre company aiming to make work which delights and inspires both the performers on stage and the audience watching. ‘I believe that face-to-face engagement can be an antidote during disconnected times and I hope the work I make brings people together in a way which stimulates conversations,’ is her emphatic conclusion on the topic.
If you can find a way to make art for the sake of making art, rather than external validation, it is a gift for your mental health and well-being
One piece of advice Imogen offers for wannabe creatives is to find a solid rent-job that doesn’t drain you too much – ‘I’ve done cafes, front of house, and retail, and they can work but did drain me at times to the point where I didn’t have much energy to rehearse or teach in the evenings.’ Now Imogen teaches Speech and Drama for a couple of days a week at a school, which provides her with enough security for her to invest a bit of money in her own shows and training. She also advises building a solid support network of nurturing and supportive friends, and also says it's okay to give things a miss every once in a while.
With that in mind, Imogen tells us that one of the best choices she has made in the past three years was actually to not go to Edinburgh Fringe for once and instead use the money she saved to invest in training and developing her work for sharing at smaller festivals. ‘I am much happier and feel much more sustainable as an artist and also feel like I’ve shaken the need to prove myself,’ she clarifies. She goes on to powerfully explain that ‘if you can find a way to make art for the sake of making art, rather than external validation, it is a gift for your mental health and well-being.’
Finally, Imogen explains why she’s chosen Bristol. ‘I love this city!’ She exclaims. It’s a city full of creativity and inspration and is the sort of place which supports new theatres and ventures.’ There’s hope for us all!
IMOGENÉ is coming to The Bristol Improv Theatre for one night only on Thursday 20th February and hitting London Weds 26th - Fri 28th Feb, as part of VAULT Festival.
If These Walls Could Talk is being featured as part of the International Women’s Day Special at The Bristol Improv Theatre on Saturday 7th March.
Featured Image: IMOGENÉ / Lee Pullen
Will you be going to see IMOGENÉ? Let us know!