Kat Francois Bio
Kat was the first person to win a televised slam competition in the U.K. In 2004 she competed against poets across the country and walked away with the title of BBC SLAM champion. She then went on to compete in the World Slam championships in Rotterdam in 2005 against international slam champions and also came away with the title of World Slam Champion. Kat is well‐known performance poet on the London Poetry scene. She is resident poet at The Theatre Royal, Stratford East, London, where she hosts and organises a monthly poetry and music night called WORD4WORD, which is now in its eighth year, and has seen many great poetry talents grace the stage. WORD4WORD is held every third Sunday of the month. Kat also hosts and organises a poetry, music and Q & A night at The Poetry Café Covent Garden, called INTIMATES, which is the opposite of WORD4WORD, a small intimate venue where poets and authors read and share their work, join in discussions, and take part in word games. Held every first Friday of the month.
Kat has been performing for approx ten years and has performed numerous times nationally and internationally. Kat Francois is also an educator using performance poetry and creative writing to tackle social issues with children and adults. A regular performer on BBC radio, Kat has released a spoken word CD entitled BLESSED BY WORDS and is published in a number of poetry magazines and anthologies. Her first written collection of poetry RYHME AND REASON was published in February 2008. Kat has also performed on television and took part in an episode of Blue Peter and also stared in the BIG POETRY SLAM, an educational television programme which was filmed in 2007, but is still being aired. Kat has also been forging a name for herself in theatre. Her first theatre piece SEVEN TIMES ME, a solo theatre show written and performed by Kat Francois, directed by Dawn Reid (Funny Black Women On the Edge, The Harder they Come), has toured nationally and internationally, including the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2007 where the show received four star reviews, and the Adelaide Fringe Festival, Australia 2008. She has also written and performed a one woman play called RAISING LAZARUS, charting the journey of West Indian soldiers who came to England to fight during the First World War, which was first performed in 2009. Also directed By Dawn Reid the show premiered to a sell out audience in the studio space of the Theatre Royal Stratford East. The show is now in further development and the aim is to take it on a national tour once funding has been secured
Kat wrote and performed “KAT’S GOT YOUR TONGUE,” her first full length comedy show, at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East, Studio space in 2010, directed by Dawn Reid to a sell out crowd. The show will return to the Theatre Royal Stratford East, in July 2011 on the main 450 seated stage and then proceed to tour. Kat now has the label of comedian under her belt, having honed her skills controlling crowds in the noisy Theatre Royal bar; she is embarking on making a name for herself on the comedy circuit, as well as continuing her work as a poet, playwright and educator. She has travelled extensively as a performance poet including Canada, Germany, Jerusalem, Sweden, Austria, Italy, Ireland,, Holland, India and Australia. At present Kat is part of a theatre show called the SPOKEN WORD ALL STARS who are touring nationally through 2010 and 2011.
Kat is also acting in a play called THE HATE PLAY with Box Clever Theatre, a school play, touring in December 2010. She is also an educator with over 20 years experience working with young people as a youth worker, workshop leader and PHSE facilitator. Kat uses poetry and drama to reach young people and adults; she teaches in schools, colleges, universities, youth clubs, homeless hostels, pupil referral units, and young offenders institutes. She also runs a popular course, called “From the Page to the Stage, ” which helps writers turn their writing into performance. Kat Francois will be touring a one woman show for 9‐11 year olds called “What’s Happening To Me” dealing with growing up, which will be available for booking March 2011 onwards. Kat Francois is also working on her first book of children’s poetry that will also be available in 2011. In 2007, Kat established Zupakat Productions as an umbrella organisation for her art and production, and its publishing arm Zupakat Publishing.