Francis trained at Wimbledon School of Art. His career in the last thirty years encompasses work across drama, musical theatre and opera. He has designed numerous productions for the National Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company and new work for the Royal Court and Hampstead Theatre. Internationally, designs include productions for Komische Oper Berlin, Opéra de Genève, Spoleto Festival and Opéra de Monte-Carlo.
Theatre & Opera
Credits
A MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN
2026
Druid Theatre / Gaiety Theatre
Director: Garry Hynes
A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC
2026
Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester
Director: Selina Cartmell
SWEAT
2026
Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh / Citizens Theatre Glasgow
Director: Joanna Bowman
IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA
2026
Grange Park Opera
Director: Bruno Ravella
MACBETH
2026
Druid Theatre
Director: Garry Hynes
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
2026
Garsington Opera
Director: Jack Furness
TESTAMENT
2026
Irish National Opera
Director: Rachael Hewer
THE SHAUGHRAUN
2026
Druid Theatre
Director: Garry Hynes
CINDERELLA
2025
Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh
Director: Jemima Levick
REUNION
2025
Kiln Theatre
Director: Mark O'Rowe
TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA
2025
Royal Shakespeare Company
Director: Joanna Bowman
RIDERS TO THE SEA / MACBETH
2025
Druid Theatre
Director: Garry Hynes
LOVESONG
2025
The Gate Theatre, Ireland
Director: David Bolger
THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR
2025
Chichester Festival Theatre
Director: Gregory Doran
SEAN O'CASEY: THREE SHORT COMEDIES
2025
Irish Tour
Director: Garry Hynes
MAZEPPA
2025
Grange Park Opera
Director: David Pountney
THE FLYING DUTCHMAN
2024
Irish National Opera
Director: Rachael Hewer
THE HOUSE
2024
Town Hall Theatre, Galway / Gaiety Theatre, Dublin
Director: Garry Hynes
ENDGAME
2024
Galway International Arts Festival
Director: Garry Hynes
REUNION
2024
Black Box Theatre, Galway / Gaiety Theatre, Dublin
Director: Mark O'Rowe
PARTY GAMES!
2024
Yvonne Arnaud Theatre
Director: Joanna Read
BILLY ELLIOT
2024
Maag Theatre, Switzerland
Director: Mitch Sebastian
ACI GALATEA E POLIFEMO
2024
London Handel Festival
Director: Jack Furness
FAUST
2023
Irish National Opera
Director: Jack Furness
ROMAN HOLIDAY
2023
Theatre Royal Bath
Director: Jeremy Sams
GHOSTS
2023
Abbey Theatre, Dublin
Director: Mark O'Rowe
DRUID O'CASEY: THREE DUBLIN PLAYS
2023
Druid Theatre, Galway / Abbey Theatre, Dublin / The Public Theater, New York
Director: Garry Hynes
TOSCA
2023
Grange Park Opera
Director: Stephen Medcalf
THE LAVENDER HILL MOB
2022
UK Tour
Director: Jeremy Sams
LA GIOCONDA
2022
Grange Park Opera
Director: Stephen Medcalf
THE ABDUCTION FROM THE SERAGLIO
2022
Opéra de Marseille, France
Director: Dieter Kaegi
LADY OF LETTERS
2022
National Tour
Director: Joanna Read
NOISES OFF
2022
Theater Cottbus, Germany
Director: Thom Southerland
THE LAST RETURN
2022
Druid Theatre
Director: Sara Joyce
THE SEAGULL
2021
Druid Theatre
Director: Garry Hynes
Broadcast
IVAN THE TERRIBLE
2021
Grange Park Opera
Director: David Pountney
SEAN O'CASEY: THREE SHORT COMEDIES
2021
Druid Theatre
Director: Garry Hynes
SARKA
2021
Theater Orchester Biel Solothurn, Switzerland
Director: Dieter Kaegi
FIDELIO
2021
Irish National Opera
Director: Garry Hynes
ONCE BEFORE I GO
2021
The Gate Theatre, Ireland
Director: Selina Cartmell
BOLAND (A POET'S JOURNEY)
2020
Druid Theatre
Director: Garry Hynes
Broadcast
DRUID GREGORY (THE PLAYS OF AUGUSTA GREGORY)
2020
Druid Theatre
Director: Garry Hynes
THE CHERRY ORCHARD
2020
Druid Theatre
Director: Garry Hynes
Broadcast
BLUEBEARD'S CASTLE
2020
Theater Orchester Biel Solothurn, Switzerland
Director: Dieter Kaegi
STREET SCENE
2020
Opera North
Director: Matthew Eberhardt
MAGGIE MAY
2020
Leeds Playhouse
Director: Jemima Levick
GYPSY
2019
Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester
Director: Jo Davies
THE BEACON
2019
Druid Theatre
Director: Garry Hynes
PARADE
2019
Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris, France
Director: Martin Duncan
Broadcast
EPIPHANY
2019
Druid Theatre
Director: Garry Hynes
FANTASIO
2019
Garsington Opera
Director: Martin Duncan
PORGY AND BESS
2019
Grange Park Opera
Director: Jean Pierre van der Spuy
THE COUNTRY GIRL
2019
Abbey Theatre, Dublin
Director: Graham McLaren
THE TELL-TALE HEART
2019
National Theatre
Director: Anthony Neilson
PREVIOUS PRODUCTIONS
THE LIEUTENANT OF INISHMORE | Director: Wilson Milam | Royal Shakespeare Company
THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE | Director: Garry Hynes | Druid Theatre / Royal Court / Broadway
THE LEENANE TRILOGY | Director: Garry Hynes | Druid Theatre / Royal Court
WRITTEN ON THE HEART | Director: Gregory Doran | Royal Shakespeare Company
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM | Director: Gregory Doran | Royal Shakespeare Company
LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST | Director: Gregory Doran | Royal Shakespeare Company
THE TAMING OF THE SHREW | Director: Gregory Doran | Royal Shakespeare Company
LA TRAVIATA | Director: Conall Morrison | English National Opera
WAITING FOR GODOT | Director: Garry Hynes | Druid Theatre / Lincoln Center, New York, US
DRUID SHAKESPEARE | Director: Garry Hynes | Druid Theatre / Lincoln Center, New York, US
DRUID SYNGE | Director: Garry Hynes | Druid Theatre / Lincoln Center, New York, US
DRUID MURPHY | Director: Garry Hynes | Druid Theatre / Lincoln Center, New York, US / Edinburgh Festival
KISS ME KATE | Director: Martin Duncan | Dortmund Opera / Bonn Opera, Germany
PRAGUE QUADRENNIAL 2019 | Francis O’Connor was selected to represent unique achievement in Irish Stage Design | Work on Waiting for Godot was shown in fragments
PINOCCHIO | Broadcast | Director: Martin Duncan | Opera North
SILENT NIGHT | Broadcast | Director: Eric Simonson | Premiere, Minnesota Opera, US
THE MAGIC FLUTE | Director: Daniel Slater | Ural State Opera, Russia
DON PASQUALE | Director: Daniel Slater | Opéra de Genève, Switzerland
ENLIGHTENMENT | Director: Edward Hall | Hampstead Theatre
SACRED HEART | Director: Edward Hall | Royal Court
A RAISIN IN THE SUN | Director: David Lan | Young Vic
THE DAUGHTER-IN-LAW | Director: David Lan | Young Vic
LA CAVA | Director: Steven Dexter | Piccadilly Theatre / Eon Entertainment
LOSERVILLE | Director: Steven Dexter | West End
TARRY FLYNN | Director: Conall Morrison | Abbey Theatre / National Theatre
IPHIGENIA IN AULIS | Director: Katie Mitchell | Abbey Theatre
THE SHAUGHRAUN | Director: John McColgan | Abbey Theatre / West End
THE WAKE | Director: Patrick Mason | Abbey Theatre
OVER TEN PRODUCTIONS | The Gate Theatre, Ireland