Soussan Farrokhnia
Actor/Director
The actor/director is a co-founder of Saam Theatre Company and currently acts as its Artistic Director. She is president of the association of LIICA, the London Independent Iranian Community Artistes.
She has over Forty years of experience in Drama.
Education
2004-2005: NVQ in Art Management-Advice-London Centre, UK.
1978-1980: Diploma in Theatre, acting and movement-Jacque Lecoq International Drama School, Paris, France.
1977-1978: M.A. in Techniques and Aesthetics in the Theatre-University of Paris VIII in Paris, France.
1968-1972: B.A. In Theatre Studies-University of Tehran, Iran.
Work Experience
2021-to present voice over for documentaries.
2020-2021: CO-Artist director of the First Independent Iranian Persian Play Reading Festival online.
2020-2021: Artistic Director of “Khanesh”, a play reading online project.
2019-2020: Artistic Director of the 6th London Independent Iranian Theatre Festival
Running workshops “Meeting William Shakespeare” in Persian
She has created the association of LIICA, the London Independent Iranian Community Artistes.
2017-2018: Project Manager “Grannies for Adaptation” Artistic Director of the 5th London Independent Iranian Theatre Festival.
2016: Artistic Director of the 4th London Independent Iranian Theatre Festival.
2015: Artistic Director of the 3rd London Independent Iranian Theatre Festival, funded by the Art Council.
2014: Artistic Director of the 2nd London Persian-English Theatre Festival, funded by the Art Council.
2013: Creator and director of the First London Persian-English Theatre Festival 2013-Present. Running Drama/Acting Master Classes-London, UK.
2013-Present: Running Drama Workshops and managing the project: English through Drama funded by the City Bridge Trust-London, UK.
Running Drama Drill Workshops (speech and presentation) for the ‘Shahrazad goes to Work’ project funded by the Award for All-London, UK.
2009-2013: Managing the Family Learning project -funded by the Big Lottery-London-UK 2000: Co-founding Saam Theatre Company-London, UK
1972-2000:
She is starting and running a series of English and Persian Artistic & Cultural gatherings and events named ‘Gala in Hell’ with Soudabeh Nia-London, UK.
Recording a CD of Love Poems of Forough Farrokhzad-London, UK.
Specialist Commentator at the radio programme: Women at Crossroads-Persian section of BBC World Service-London, UK.
Reading of the monologue Fairy Light by Ghazi Rabihavi, accompanied by Harold Pinter and Salman Rushdie - organised by INDEX (Organization against censorship) Purcell Room-London, UK.
I was working in the Booking department, giving information and the front house of Théâtre de la Ville-Paris, France.
Founding member of the Youth Theatre Program of the Centre for the Youth Intellectual Development under the leadership of Don Laffon-Tehran, Iran.
Directing
2023-2024: The "Good Woman of Tehran"based on the "Good Woman of Szechwan" by Berthed Brecht. Adaptation and directed by Soussan Farrokhnia-Arts Depot-London.
2021-2022:” King Lear “by William Shakespeare online project for Khanesh. Theatre. International platform.
2019-2020: “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare. From stage to online because of Covid 19.
2019: Directing “My Pseudonym Etienne “by Phillippe Gaulier Arts Depot - London 2018.
“Daily Rent” based on “Lower Depths “by Maxim Gorky -Watermans Art Centre and Arts Depot- London
2016-17: Longing for Dance and Love - Arts Depot London 2015.
“Abol`s Sister” by Ali Nasr Youth Theatre-London
2014: “Hard Life” by Samuel Gaulier Arts depot-London 2014.
“Night School “by Harold Pinter Arts Depot-London.
2013: Scandal in Tehran - Group Writing-Arts Depot-London, UK.
2012: Zaman-Khan `s Rule-(the first play ever written in Persian) by Mirza-Agha Tabrizi - London, UK.
2011: “My Beautiful Son” by Ghazi Rabihavi-Arts Depot, Youth Theatre East Finchley -London, UK;
European Tour.
2010:” Tahmineh`s Nightmare “–bilingual production inspired by Killing Sohrab by Bahram Beyzaie and poetry by Mostafa Shafafi , funded by the Arts Council England - Arts Depot and Riverside, London, UK.
2009: Adaptation & Direction – “The Sudden Death of My Mother-in-Law “, based on a play by George Feydeau-funded by the European Cultural Foundation-Arts Depot-London, UK; and European Tour.
2007: Birth after Death by B.Ghanbar-Husseini funded by the Arts Council England-Arts Depot London-UK
Acting
Among other leading roles:
2023: The Mother in “Drowning in the sea of Leeches “ Directed by D.Rezvani – Arts Depot – London.
2022: Mother in “ Mion Dadasham faghad nanam” ( Between all my brothers, only my mother ) by Farhad Naghd-Ali, Directed by Darioush Rezvani. Arts Depot London UK.
2021: Vida in "The Bitter Tears of Zahra Zand", a Feature film – by Vahid Hakimzadeh- Location London.
2018-2019: Etienne in “My Pseudonym Etienne “written by Phillippe Gaulier Arts Depot – London.UK 2016-17: Angel in “Indomitable” based on the Taming of the shrew by William Shakespeare, adapted. & Directed by Darioush Rezvani Art depot-London
2015: Mrs Fakor in “Under the Shadow” a feature film by Babak Anvari -Location Amman Jordan
2014: Afsaneh in “Bittersweet” by A.Hamed a collaboration work with Daryoush Rezvani-Art depot-London.UK
2013: Tina in” A Private Dream” by Iraj Jannati Attaie - Drury Lane Theatre-London, UK; and International (USA, Canada, and Europe) tour.
2012: Manigeh in: “Be Yad Nist “(Not Remembering), inspired by a novel by Sadegh Hedayat written & directed by Darioush Rezvani – Arts Depot – London, UK, and European tour.
2011: Mother in: My Beautiful Son –by Ghazi Rabihavi-Arts Depot & Youth Theatre, East Finchley London, UK; and European tour.
2010: Tahmineh in: Tahmineh`s Nightmare-bilingual production inspired by The Killing Sohrab by Bahram Beyzaie and poetry by Mostafa Shafafi-Funded by the Arts Council England -Arts Depot & Riverside studios-London, UK
2009: Mary in “Adventures of a Friday Night in Dr Tabibzadeh`s Villa” based on The Virtuous Burglar by Dario Fo Adapted by M-Husseinpour, Directed by Elizabeth Mansfield-London, UK
Farzaneh in “Have I ever Happened?” Short film by Ramin Godarzi-Nejad-London, UK.
Bag Lady in: “Compote” by Philippe Gaulier, translated from French to Persian by Soussan Farrokhnia Edited by Mostafa Shafafi, directed by Soussan Farrokhnia - Rudolf Steiner Theatre-London, UK; and European tour.
2001: The Woman in “She, who Finished Left, and Returned Unfinished “by Mostafa Shafafi, directed by Soudabeh Nia-London, UK; and European tour.
1998: Shbah Kabous in” Out and Return” by Iraj-Jannatie-Attaie-The Questors Theatre –London, UK. and European tour.
Bibi in “The Tiger” by J. Fletcher, directed by Kristin Landon- Smith - radio Drama BBC
Birmingham.
1997: Maryam in” The Tale of a Kiss” by Ghazi Rabihavi, directed by M.Husseinpour- London, UK
1995: Hadda & Spiteful Woman in “The Princesses “by F. Gllaire, directed by Anny Castledine – Royal Court London, UK.
The chorus in “The Women of Troy “by Euripides, directed by Anny Castledine-Olivier Hall,
National Theatre-London, UK.
1994: Mrs Pouyan in “Fear of Passion “by T. Mokhtar-The Place Theatre-London, UK.
Mary in” Aunt Aggies’s Gut Rot”, written & directed by Philippe Gaulier-translated from French into Persian by Soussan Farrokhnia - The Ukrainian Cultural Centre-London, UK.
1992: Katayon in” Rostam and Esphandiar” written & Directed by Irai Jannati-Attaie-Lyric Theatre-London, UK.
1983-1991: Member of Serge Martin`s cast for “Les Buffon” Avignon Festival-France.
Member of Philippe Gaulier`s company for “Le Debut” Esmeralda-Comcomedia dell Arte and High Priestess in Les Buffon-Frankfort, Germany.
1969-1976: Alice in: Look Back in Anger by John Osborn - Directed by P. Parvaresh-Tel Theatre Tehran, Iran.
Marquis Spina in “Henry IV” by L. Pirandello, Directed by M. Kowsar-Tele Theatre-Tehran, Iran.
Beatrice in “A View from the Bridge” by Arthur Miller, directed by H. Samandarian -Tele Theatre - Tehran, Iran.
Desdemona in “Othello” by William Shakespeare, Directed by M. Kowsar-Tehran, Iran.
And……….
M: +44 (0)7813 960031