Soussan Farrokhnia
Actor/Director
Actor/director is co-founder of Saam Theatre Company and currently acts as its Chief Executive and Artistic Director
She has more than Forty years of experience in the world of Drama and currently directs Saam Theatre Company artistically.
Education
2004-2005: NVQ in 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
2020-2021: CO-Artist director of First Independent Iranian Play reading Festival online. 
2020-2021: Artistic Director of “Khanesh”, a play reading online project.
2019-2020: Artistic Director of 6th London Independent Iranian Theatre Festival 
Running workshops “Meeting William Shakespeare” in Persian
2017-2018: Project Manager “Grannies for Adaptation”
Artistic Director of 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 Art Council. 
2014: Artistic Director of the 2nd London Persian-English Theatre Festival funded by Art Council.
2013: Create and direct the First London Persian-English Theatre Festival 2013-Present: RunningDrama/Acting Master Classes-London, UK
2013-Present: Running Drama Workshops and managing the project: English through Drama – funded by the CityBridge Trust-London, UK
2013: Running Drama Drill Workshops (speech and presentation) for ‘Shaherzad goes to Work’ project-funded by theAward 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:
Starting and running a series of Artistic & Cultural gatherings and events in English and Persian 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
Working in department of Booking, giving information and 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 leadership of Don Laffon-Tehran, Iran
Directing
2019-2020: “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare
2019: Directing “My Pseudonym Etienne “by Phillippe Gaulier Arts Depot - London 2018: Daily RentWatermans Art Centre and Arts Depot -London
2016-17: Longing for Dance and Love - Arts depot London 2015: Abol`s sister by AliNasr youth Theatre-London
2014: Hard Life (play in English) by Samuel Gaulier Arts depot-London 2014: Night School (inPersian) by Harold Pinter Arts depot-London
2013: Scandal in Tehran (play in English) - 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 (with English subtitle)-London, UK; and European Tour.
2010: Tahmineh`s Nightmare –bilingual production based on a play by Bahram Beyzaiee and Mostafa Shafafi - funded by theArts Council England - Arts Depot and Riverside studios London, UK
2009: Adaptation & Directing - 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-support funded by the Arts Council England-Arts Depot-London-UK
Acting
Among other leading roles:
2021: Vida in "The Bitter Tears of Zahra Zand", Feature film - London
2018-2019: Etienne in “My Pseudonym Etienne “written by Phillippe Gaulier Arts Depot - London 2016-17: Angel in indomitable Art depot-London
2015: Mrs Fakor in Under the Shadow, a film by Babak Anvari
2014: Afsaneh in Bittersweet by A.Hamed a collaboration work with Daryoush Rezvani-Art depot-London
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) written & directed by Darioush Rezvani – Arts Depot – London, UK;and European tour.
2011: Mother in: My Beautiful Son –by Ghazi Rabihavi (subtitled in English)-Arts Depot & Youth Theatre, East Finchley-London, UK; and European tour
2010: Tahmineh in: Tahmineh`s Nightmare-bilingual production based on a play by Bahram Beyzaiee and 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 a play 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 in collaboration with 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
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 by Philippe Gaulier-translated from French into Persian by Soussan Farrokhnia - The Ukrainian Cultural Centre-London, UK
1992: Katayon in: Rostam and Esphandiar by Irai Jannati-Attaie-Lyric Theatre-London, UK 1983-1991:
Member of Serge Martin`s cast for Les Buffon-Avignon Festival-France. Member of PhilippeGaulier`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-Tele 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 –Tehran, Iran Desdemona in: Othello by William Shakespeare Directed by M. Kowsar-Tehran, Iran
E: s.farrokhnia@gmail.com
M: +44 (0)7813 960031​​​​​​​