We were lucky to catch up with Francesca Bolam recently and have shared our conversation below.
Francesca, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
It’s a toss-up between Tenner Bag and Book Club. With Tenner Bag, there was something liberating about writing exactly where I’m from—the specific takeout, the raw Northern banter, and the grit of Teesside. I’ve lived away for 13 years and never felt like I ‘fit in’ back home, but that identity is in every fiber of my work whether I want it there or not.
The process was a massive challenge. I was in NYC rehearsing Tenner Bag (which I wrote and starred in) and Book Club (which I wrote and directed) at the same time. Because of the time difference with London, I was on Zoom rehearsals at 4:30 AM from my apartment. I was incredibly lucky to have Finella Waddilove—a director who thrives on that level of authenticity—bring it to life. It sold out and we got great reviews.
I’m currently bringing a new iteration of Book Club to Wild Project this April 2026. It’s a deep dive into the reality of female friendships and the things women actually face, and I’m lucky to be working with an exceptional cast: Madeleine Doré, Skye Themeda Goss, Alice Highman, Tedecia Wint, and Sadie Pillion-Gardner. Both projects prove the same thing: stories from the places people usually look past belong on stage. Seeing an audience recognize themselves in those messy, unfiltered moments is the real win.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I’m an actor, writer, director, and producer. My background is a mix of classical choir, musical theatre, and poetry, but I eventually realized I just wanted to be involved with work that was raw and didn’t apologize for itself. I grew up on West End musicals, but I was always looking for something more human and unfiltered.
I wear a lot of hats—from the text to the set design and the posters—because I care about the details that make a show feel real. If I have a story, I just figure out how to get it on stage. I’m not interested in things being ‘perfect’; I’m interested in them being honest.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
My creative journey is inseparable from my Buddhist practice. I’ve practiced Nichiren Buddhism for 12 years, and it’s the compass for everything I do. My mission through art is to fully realize my own potential for the sake of kosen-rufu. To me, that means proving that no matter how much you’ve suffered, you can transform that experience into something of value.
I don’t believe in a gap between life and art. Nichiren Buddhism is a ‘come as you are’ practice, and I bring that same honesty to the stage. Whether I’m acting, writing, or directing, I’m just looking for the truth in the mess. The goal isn’t just to put on a show; it’s to show that any struggle can be changed into something meaningful. I want to create a connection that encourages people to see that same potential in their own lives.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The reward is the ‘all-encompassing’ nature of it. When you’re devising in a room and those lightbulb moments start going off together, there’s nothing like it. For me, the deeper I go into a character, the more I actually learn about myself. It’s not just ‘playing’—it’s the ability to seek the truth and stay open-minded when exploring new work. That constant process of discovery forces you to be honest about who you are.
There is nothing more fulfilling than writing something that actors actually want to sink their teeth into. When you’re in a room and you see an actor find a new layer in a line you wrote, or an audience hears a piece of text and you can feel the room shift because they recognize themselves in it. It proves the work has moved beyond me and become a shared experience.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.francescabolam.com
- Instagram: @francescabolam
- Other: @niceenoughproductions
