Soussan Farrokhnia
Actor/Director
Profile
Actor, director, and drama teacher with over fifty years of professional experience in theatre, film, and radio.
Co-founder and Artistic Director of Saam Theatre Company, and President of LIICA – London Independent Iranian Community Artistes.
Internationally trained, with a career spanning Iran, France, and the UK, specialising in classical adaptations, bilingual productions, community theatre, and theatre education.
Education
2004–2005
NVQ in Art Management & Advice – London Centre, UK
1978–1980
Diploma in Theatre (Acting & Movement) – Jacques Lecoq International Drama School, Paris, France
1977–1978
MA in Theatre Techniques & Aesthetics – University of Paris VIII, France
1968–1972
BA in Theatre Studies – University of Tehran, Iran
Professional Experience
Voice & Media
2021–Present
Voice-over artist for documentaries
Artistic Leadership & Projects
2020–2021
• Co-Artistic Director – First Independent Iranian Persian Play Reading Festival (Online)
• Artistic Director – Khanesh, online play-reading platform
2019–2020
• Artistic Director – 6th London Independent Iranian Theatre Festival
• Workshop leader – Meeting William Shakespeare (Persian)
• Founder of LIICA – London Independent Iranian Community Artistes
2017–2018
• Project Manager – Grannies for Adaptation
• Artistic Director – 5th London Independent Iranian Theatre Festival
2016
Artistic Director – 4th London Independent Iranian Theatre Festival
2015
Artistic Director – 3rd London Independent Iranian Theatre Festival
(Funded by Arts Council England)
2014
Artistic Director – 2nd London Persian-English Theatre Festival
(Funded by Arts Council England)
2013–Present
• Founder & Director – London Persian-English Theatre Festival
• Drama & Acting Masterclasses – London, UK
• Project Manager – English Through Drama (City Bridge Trust)
• Workshop Leader – Shahrazad Goes to Work (Award for All)
2009–2013
Manager – Family Learning Project (Big Lottery Fund, UK)
2000
Co-founder – Saam Theatre Company, London, UK
Earlier Professional Activities (1972–2000)
• Artistic & cultural event series Gala in Hell (with Soudabeh Nia)
• Recording: Love Poems of Forough Farrokhzad (CD)
• Specialist commentator – Women at Crossroads, BBC World Service (Persian)
• Reading of Fairy Light by Ghazi Rabihavi with Harold Pinter & Salman Rushdie
(INDEX on Censorship – Purcell Room, London)
• Front of House & Booking – Théâtre de la Ville, Paris
• Founding member – Youth Theatre Programme, Centre for Youth Intellectual Development, Tehran
Directing
2025–2026
The Moor (based on Othello) – Arts Depot, London
(Arts Council England funded)
2024–2025
Eleusinian (based on Macbeth) – Arts Depot, London
(Arts Council England funded)
2023–2024
The Good Woman of Tehran (after Brecht) – Arts Depot, London
2021–2022
King Lear – Online international project (Khanesh)
2019–2020
Macbeth – Stage to online (COVID-19)
2019
My Pseudonym Etienne – Arts Depot, London
2018
Daily Rent (after Gorky) – Watermans & Arts Depot, London
2016–2017
Longing for Dance and Love – Arts Depot
Aboul’s Sister – Youth Theatre, London
2014
Hard Life – Arts Depot-London
Night School – Arts Depot-London
2013
Scandal in Tehran – Group Writing – Arts Depot-London
2012
Zaman-Khan’s Rule – London
2010
Tahmineh’s Nightmare – Arts Depot & Riverside Studios-London. (Arts Council England funded)
2009
The Sudden Death of My Mother-in-Law – European Tour
(European Cultural Foundation)
2007
Birth After Death – Arts Depot
(Arts Council England funded)
Acting (Selected Roles)
2023 – Drowning in the Sea of Leeches – Arts Depot
2022 – Between All My Brothers, Only My Mother – Arts Depot
2021 – The Bitter Tears of Zahra Zand (Feature Film)
2018–2019 – My Pseudonym Etienne – Arts Depot
2015 – Under the Shadow (Feature Film) – Jordan
2013 – A Private Dream – International Tour
2010 – Tahmineh’s Nightmare – Arts Depot & Riverside
1995 – The Women of Troy – National Theatre, London
1969–1976 – Classical & modern repertoire – Tehran
(Full acting credits available on request)
M: +44 (0)7813 960031
