An Imaginary Life
Arts Market
Information
An intimate, compelling duet for actor and musician, a story about learning to live wherever we find ourselves. To coexist with people who are already here. And learning to belong here by coming to terms with who we are, and who we can be here.
An Imaginary Life is an adaptation of David Malouf's Australian Literature classic, stripped back. You don't need to have read the novel to understand this show. It's adapted for contemporary general public audiences. Space and sound sits alongside text- and so the show is completely dependent on its location and community.
Performed by Humphrey Bower and live musician Pavan Kumar Hari, it's a site-responsive work tailor-made (and re-made) for found venues and their communities.
The venue is the third performer.
Presented in found spaces with great acoustics, with the audience seated in close proximity around the performers; it contains no recorded or amplified sound, and has no rigged lighting- just the performers, the space, and one small flood light on the floor.
Federal Arts Minister Tony Burke saw it and said "It was magnificent... a phenomenal experience." (ABC Radio).
Company
Humphrey Bower & Libby Klysz
Company / Artist Bio
Humphrey Bower and Libby Klysz have been working together since 2019, with The Apparatus; The Golem and touring work An Imaginary Life.
Humphrey is an actor, director and writer based in Perth. He's worked across the country in theatre, opera, dance, puppetry, film, TV, radio and audio book narration, and has won many awards. Recent credits include: The Children (Black Swan State Theatre Company, 2024), Things I Know To Be True (Black Swan State Theatre Company, 2023), Nocturne (adaptor/director/co-performer, The Lab, Adelaide, 2022), The Duel (adaptor/director, WA Opera, 2022), Mary Stuart (Perth Festival, 2022), The Tempest (Black Swan State Theatre Company, 2021).
Libby Klysz was the WA Producer of the Year, 2023. Recent projects include Under Fluoros (Performing Lines WA, 2024), I'm With Her Darwin Festival, Ten Days on the Island & Perth Festival(Half the Sky 2022, Midwinter Productions 2023-24), Hide the Dog Perth Festival (Performing Lines Tasmania, 2023), The Hypotheticals (The Last Great Hunt, 2023), JULIA and Savage Grace (Steamworks Arts, 2021-24). She has produced tours and been on the road to every corner of WA, all over Australia and multiple international tours.
Location
WA
Audience
People in Regional/Remote Areas
Venue suitability
Site-specificAny - we're flexible
Reviews
FOUR AND A HALF STARS "Captivating" - Arts Hub
"Spell-binding" - Magazine 6000
"Timeless, intimate and profound" - Post Newspapers
"Bower is an innate wordsmith" - Perth Arts Live
Trailer
Duration
60 min
Touring Party
4
Previous Seasons
Moores Gallery, Fremantle WA, 2024
Ten Days on the Island (New Norfolk, Rowella, Burnie), Tasmania, 2025
Dampier Community Hall & Cossack Old Customs House (City of Karratha), WA, 2025
Estimated Remount Cost
$5 - 10k
Weekly Sell-Off Fee
$10 - 15k
Royalty %
13
Availability
2026202720282029 or later
Instagram
@humphreybower_artist
Facebook
@humphreybower
Contact Name
Libby Klysz
Contact Phone
0414446124
Contact Email
libbyklysz@gmail.com
Technical Specifications
Community Engagement Pack
Program information
Presentation date
Tuesday 12 August 2025
Presentation type
Pitch