about    

I'm an Iraqi born London based theatre director. ​I recently directed a reading of Chronicles of a City We Never Knew by Wael Qadour, at the Gate Theatre.

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I was also associate director to Alexander Zeldin at the National Theatre on Faith, Hope and Charity. I was previously associate director on Alexander's play Love, which played at the National, Birmingham Rep and on tour in France, opening at the L'Odeon Paris. 

​My first play as director was Othello, which sold out a 3 week run at Barons Court Theatre. I have since then directed new plays by Hassan Abdulrazzak, Martin Crimp, Hannah Khalil, Fiona Doyle and Silva Semerciyan. I'm really interested in telling international stories on UK stages. 

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I was associate director on The Ferryman at the Gielgud theatre. I have assisted at the Young Vic, Royal Court and Arcola theatres. Three projects I have worked on have been filmed for the BBC as part of performance live. ​

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I am a trustee on the board of the Liverpool Arab Arts Festival, as artistic advisor.  

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I had my first poem published at the age of 15, and have since then been published in various anthologies. 

You can contact me on

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selected work

It was without doubt one of the best adaptations of Shakespeare I have seen and if children in school or adults cannot see why Shakespeare is our greatest playwright then they should see this production to set the record straight (Design My Night on Twelfth Night)

TWELFTH NIGHT

A 1920's Moroccan Twelfth Night @ Cockpit Theatre

Designers Pilar Sierra and Clement De Dadelsen

Photograph by Miriam Resino

It's that rarest of things: a genuinely emotionally engaging dilemma play that blossoms into a funny, fully hearted exploration of cultural relativism, moral absolutes and the plurality of womanhood (The Stage on Gather Ye Rosebuds)

GATHER YE ROSEBUDS

By Silva Semerciyan

@Theatre503 and Nightingale Theatre Brighton

WINNER Best New Play Brighton Fringe Festival

Designer Pilar Sierra

Photograph by Miriam Resino

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OTHELLO

 @ Barons Court Theatre

Designer Pilar Sierra

Photograph by Simon Annand

There is a moment in this robust and impressive debut production when Emilia (Jennifer Shakesby) delivers a speech on male-female relationships... It bubbles with the possibilities of back story; we feel that an entire second play has gone on before.....Diyan Zora—in her impressive directorial debut—sets a steady course for Shakespeare’s tragedy and utilizes atmosphere and a strong cast to chilling effect. (Play Shakespeare on Othello)

selected associate / staff directing 

CV

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As Director

Tom Fool by Franz Xaver Kroetz (R&D), 2019 

Ms Y by Fiona Doyle, Young Vic Theatre, 2016

Octopus By Afsaneh Gray, Camden People’s Theatre, 2015

Waiting for Summer, Unity Theatre Liverpool (Liverpool Festival of Arab Arts), with writing from Martin Crimp, Hassan Abdulrazzak and Hannah Khalil, 2014 

Gather Ye Rosebuds by Silva Semerciyan Theatre503, Nightingale Theatre, Brighton Fringe Festival, 2013 (WINNER BEST NEW PLAY)

Othello, Barons Court Theatre, William Shakespeare

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As Associate

Faith, Hope and Charity, National Theatre, Dir. Alexander Zeldin, 2019

LOVE, National Theatre European Tour, Dir. Alexander Zeldin, 2018

The Ferryman, London Gielgud Theatre, Dir. Sam Mendes, 2018

As Assistant / Staff Director

Love, National Theatre and Birmingham Rep, Dir. Alexander Zeldin, 2016/2017

Evening at the Talkhouse, National Theatre, Dir. Ian Rickson, 2015 / 2016

Fireworks, Royal Court, Dir. Richard Twyman, 2015

The Wolf From the Door, Royal Court, Dir. James Macdonald, 2014

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Television

Taxi Tales, Tamasha and BBC, Dir Ben Anthony, 2018 (as drama coach)

Why it’s Kicking Off Everywhere, Young Vic Theatre and BBC, Dir. David Lan, 2017 (as assistant

director)

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Work with Young People / Community

I have run workshops with community members at the Young Vic, Royal Court, Theatre Royal Haymarket, Tamasha and Arcola Theatres. I have experience working with young people, and refugees and asylum seekers.

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Other

Production assistant, Romeo and Juliet in Baghdad, Iraqi Theatre Company / RSC / LIFT (2012)

Production assistant, 66 Minutes in Damascus, LIFT (2012)

Script Reader for Theatre503, Vicky Graham Productions, Bruntwood Prize and Royal Court

Young Vic Directors Programme Springboard week, workshops with various directors

Masters in Human Rights, SOAS, Distinction

Ba Hons Law with English literature, University of Nottingham, 2,1

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