Ursula Rani Sarma is an award-winning scriptwriter for stage and screen, of Irish Indian descent. Her credits include feature film In The Shadows (Sleeper/ Affine Films / True Brit), Bodkin (Netflix/Higher Ground/Wiip), Smother (Treasure/BBC Studios/ RTE), Delicious (Sky One/Bandit), and Red Rock (Element/TV3) amongst others.

Ursula’s current projects include being the writer and executive producer of television series The Split Up with Sister Pictures for the BBC as well as developing projects for Bad Wolf/ Sky, George Clooney’s Smokehouse, Gillian Anderson’s Fiddlehead and Netflix.

Ursula has written numerous award-winning plays which have been produced around the world. They include Yerma (West Yorkshire Playhouse), The Dark Things (Traverse Theatre), Birdsong (The Abbey Theatre), Joanne (Clean Break) and The Magic Tree (Everyman Theatre) amongst many others. Her work is published by Oberon, Faber and Faber, Nick Hern and Penguin Random House. She is currently writing plays for The Royal National Theatre, The Abbey Theatre and EON Productions.

Ursula was the Programme Leader of the MA in Scriptwriting at Bath Spa University for ten years, up until 2019. Ursula now lives in the West of Ireland.

Khaled Hosseini is an Afghan-American novelist and physician, best known for his novels The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns and And The Mountains Echoed, which have been published in over seventy countries and sold more than 40 million copies worldwide. Today, Hosseini is recognised as one of the best-selling authors in the world.

Hosseini was born in Kabul, Afghanistan in 1965. His father was a Diplomat for the Afghan Foreign Ministry and his mother was a teacher. In 1976, the Hosseini family were relocated to Paris by the Foreign Ministry. Though they wanted to return to their home in Kabul, Afghanistan was suffering following an extremely violent communist coup and was under invasion by the Soviet Army. The family were granted political asylum in the USA and they moved to California. Hosseini graduated Santa Clara University with a degree in Biology, and then received a medical degree from the University of California.

It was while he was a practising internist in Los Angeles that Hosseini began writing his first novel, The Kite Runner, which was published in 2003. Following its huge success, Hosseini quit medicine to focus solely on writing. Each of his books are set, fully or partially, in Afghanistan and feature an Afghan as the main protagonist. Hosseini took inspiration for his novels from his own experiences in
Afghanistan and draws on influences gained whilst exiled in Paris.

He has served as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, since 2006.  In 2008, he launched The Khaled Hosseini Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which provides humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan

Roxana Silbert is a freelance director who was Artistic Associate at Theatre Royal Stratford East (2023); Artistic Director of Hampstead Theatre (2019-2022); Artistic Director of Birmingham Repertory Theatre (2013-2019); Associate Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company (2009-2013); Artistic Director of Paines Plough Theatre Company (2005-2009); Literary Director at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh (2001-2004); and Associate Director of the Royal Court (1998-2000).

Recent credits include: Adults by Kieran Hurley (Traverse Theatre); Between 2 Fires by Sylvia Pankhurst (London Library); The Girls of Slender Means from Muriel Spark (Lyceum Edinburgh). At Hampstead Theatre: The Fever Syndrome by Alexis Zegerman; Mary by Rona Munro; Folk by Nell Leyshon; Raya by Deborah Bruce; The Haystack by Ali Blyth; Night Mother by Marsha Norman. At Birmingham Rep: The Government Inspector by Nikolai Gogol; Of Mice And Men by John Steinbeck; The King’s Speech by David Seidler; Orphans by Dennis Kelly; Khandan by Gurpreet Bhatti; What Shadows by Chris Hannan; Anita and Me from Meera Syal and Woyzeck by Georg Büchner.

Simon Kenny is the Set & Costume Designer for A Thousand Splendid Suns at Birmingham Rep.

Musical Theatre credits include: Lord Of The Rings (Chicago, Aukland, Sydney); Rehab The Musical (West End); The Lord Of The Rings; Whistle Down The Wind (Watermill); The Lion (Southwark Playhouse/Arizona Theatre Company, Japan, Korea); The Light in the Piazza, Merrily We Roll Along (Royal Academy of Music); The Wiz (Hope Mill); Ghost Quartet (Boulevard Theatre); Assassins (Watermill/Nottingham Playhouse); Cabaret (English Theatre Frankfurt/Deutsches Theater Munich); the multi award-winning Sweeney Todd in a purpose-built pie shop (West End/Off-Broadway, Drama Desk nomination – Outstanding Set Design of a Musical).

Other theatre credits include: Romeo and Juliet (Belgrade, Coventry); Link In My Bio (Luxembourg Opera), The Unseen (Riverside Studios); Bodies of Water (ATC); Here In America, Duet For One (Orange Tree, Richmond); Steel, Brassed Off (Theatre By The Lake); One Last Push (Wiltshire Creative); Murder In The Dark (UK Tour); The Real & Imagined History of the Elephant Man (Nottingham Playhouse); Family Tree (ATC); Blue/Orange (Royal & Derngate Northampton); Nothello (Belgrade/Coventry City of Culture); The Art of Illusion, The Death of a Black Man (Hampstead); Footfalls & Rockaby (Jermyn Street); Antigone (Mercury Colchester); several UK tours for Eclipse including The Gift (Stratford East) and Black Men Walking (Royal Exchange); Crongton Knights, Noughts & Crosses (Pilot/UK tours); Red Dust Road (National Theatre of Scotland); Giraffes Can’t Dance (Curve); The Children (English Theatre Frankfurt); Holes (Nottingham Playhouse/UK tour); Broken Glass (Watford Palace); Babette’s Feast (The Print Room); Rose (HOME); Twelfth Night, The Merchant of Venice (Shakespeare’s Globe).

Matt Haskins, Lighting Director

Theatre credits include: A Tupperware of Ashes (National Theatre); Peter Pan Goes Wrong (West End & Broadway); The Empress (RSC); Jesus Christ Superstar, Miss Saigon (Folketeateret Oslo); The Clinic (Almeida); The Wedding Band, School Girls; The African Mean Girls Play (Lyric Hammersmith); The Double Act (Arcola); The Girls of Slender Means (Edinburgh Lyceum); Wish You Were Here (Gate); Folk, Mary, The Fever Syndrome (Hampstead); Nina – A Story About Me and Nina Simone (Young Vic, Unity, Riksteatern, Stockholm); Fair Play (Bush); The Lovely Bones (Birmingham Rep/UK tour) and Hakawatis (Shakesperare’s Globe).

Opera credits include: Coraline, Sukanya (Royal Opera); La Bohème (Irish National Opera/Opera Montpellier); La Cenerentola, Don Pasquale (Irish National Opera); Don Giovanni, La Traviata (Opera North); Anna Bolena (Welsh National Opera).

Matt was Associate Lighting Designer for The Master and Margarita (Complicité) and Concert Lighting Designer for the iconic Grace Jones (Royal Albert Hall).

Previously at The Rep: Good For a Girl; Community; Love & Rebellion Festival; Order & Chaos Festival; Parklife; Uncommon Riches Festival; GrimeBoy; The Play What I Wrote; Sky Comedy Rep; Constructed; Blue/Orange; Stuff; Elephant; I Knew You; To Sir With Love; The Quiet House; The Rotters’ Club; Folk; Unknown Male; The Mother; Tweet Tweet; Respect; Cling To Me Like Ivy; Last Easter; How To Tell The Monsters From The Misfits; Bulletproof Soul; Looking For Yoghurt and Hopelessly Devoted.

Other theatre credits include: Bright Places (Carbon Theatre); Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan the Musical (BOA Group); Shrive, Faustus: That Damned Woman, Bad Roads, Serious Money, The Trojan Women, The Penolopiad, The Learning Lottery, How to Disappear Completely and Never Be Found, Byrthrite, Animal Farm, The Red Vial and The Visit (University of Birmingham).

As Associate Sound Designer: Counting & Cracking – UK tour (Belvoir), Family Tree – UK tour (Actors Touring Company), Rebel Music – (Middle Child Theatre/Birmingham Rep)

Audio work: Chase Tales Trail – Cannock Chase Heritage Trail audio walk (Cannock Chase Council & Birmingham Rep)

Clive is also a visiting lecturer at University of Birmingham and BOA Stage & Screen.

Elaha Soroor is a Hazara singer, songwriter, and composer from Afghanistan. Her music is a blend of Afghanistan’s folk traditions with contemporary global sounds. She first rose to prominence in 2009 on Afghan Star, a popular music talent show, where her fearless performances made her a household name but also put her at risk. After relocating to the UK, she continued using music as a tool for activism, releasing the award-winning album Songs of Our Mothers with her band Kefaya in 2019.

She has composed for theatre and film, including The Boy With Two Hearts and The Beekeeper of Aleppo, and led music workshops for women, children, and refugees. Her recent anthem Bread, Work, Freedom! is a powerful song which amplifies the voice of the women of Afghanistan calling for their rights and freedoms, symbolizing their courage in the face of oppression.

Trained at Northern School of Contemporary Dance.

Movement Director credits include: Run Rebel (Mercury Theatre and UK tour).

Dance performance credits include: Emilyn Claid & Co., Mazeppa Netherlands Opera House & Bregenz Festival, Lloyd Newson, Recall with Singh Productions. Dance company member CandoCo Dance Company (1992-2000) with choreographers Siobhan Davies, Darshan Singh Bhuller, Annabel Arden also appearances with; Kompany Malakhi, RJC Dance Company, Fidget Feet Arial Dance/Theatre Company, Attik Dance.

Television includes: Strictly Come Dancing (CandoCo/Arlene Phillips) and BBC2 Lee Miller: Life on the Front Line and Superfoods Bambino Produced by Agile Studios.

Kuldip is an independent dance artist and movement specialist based in Cornwall. He is Senior Lecturer in Dance, Theatre and Performance at Falmouth University.

Rachid runs True Edge Ltd with Jessica Hrabowsky. True Edge specialise in crafting action and fight sequences for the stage and screen.

Credits include: Long Day’s Journey into the Night (West End); Scissorhandz (Southwark Playhouse); The Baker’s Wife (Mernier Chocolate Factory); 1984 (Hackney Town Hall); Abigail’s Party (Northern Stage); The Jungle Book (Chichester Festival); The Mirror and the Light (West End/RSC); The Jungle (West End/St Ann’s Warehouse, NYC); Aladdin (West End/Disney); Romeo and Juliet (Piccadilly Theatre, West End); Macbeth (Leeds Playhouse); Jitney (Leeds Playhouse); The White Card (Soho Theatre); The Invisible Man (Northern Stage); The Seven Ages of Patience (Kiln Theatre, London); The Snow Queen (The Rose Theatre); Sugar (Tricycle Theatre); Jack & the Beanstalk and Beauty and the Beast (Cast, Doncaster).

TV and Film credits include: 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown (Channel 4/Zeppotron, season 09 –  present); Big Zuu Eats (Boom TV); The Last Leg (Open Mike); Silence is Golden (yes yes media); Pride & Prejudice: An Experiment in Romance (NBC/Shine TV); Cerebrum (Lakeside Pictures); Thirst Trap (Soup of the Day Pictures); Broken Shelter (A-Z films) and Wannabes (BBC).

Jessica runs True Edge Ltd. with Rachid Sabitri. True Edge specialise in crafting action and fight sequences for the stage and screen.

Credits include: Long Day’s Journey into the Night (West End); Scissorhandz (Southwark Playhouse); The Baker’s Wife (Mernier Chocolate Factory); 1984 (Hackney Town Hall); Abigail’s Party (Northern Stage); The Jungle Book (Chichester Festival); The Mirror and the Light (West End/RSC); The Jungle (West End/St Ann’s Warehouse, NYC); Aladdin (West End/Disney); Romeo and Juliet (Piccadilly Theatre, West End); Macbeth (Leeds Playhouse); Jitney (Leeds Playhouse); The White Card (Soho Theatre); The Invisible Man (Northern Stage); The Seven Ages of Patience (Kiln Theatre, London); The Snow Queen (The Rose Theatre); Sugar (Tricycle Theatre); Jack & the Beanstalk and Beauty and the Beast (Cast, Doncaster).

TV and Film credits include: 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown (Channel 4/Zeppotron, season 09 –  present); Big Zuu Eats (Boom TV); The Last Leg (Open Mike); Silence is Golden (yes yes media); Pride & Prejudice: An Experiment in Romance (NBC/Shine TV); Cerebrum (Lakeside Pictures); Thirst Trap (Soup of the Day Pictures); Broken Shelter (A-Z films) and Wannabes (BBC).

Helena is a freelance casting director with over 20 years’ experience. She began her casting career at the Royal Exchange, Manchester and then with the National Theatre. She was Casting Director at the Royal Shakespeare Company from 2008 to 2021.

Theatre includes: The Government Inspector and Anna Karenina (Chichester Festival Theatre); Red or Dead (Liverpool’s Royal Court); Gigi & Dar (Arcola Theatre); An Inspector Calls (PW Productions – 2024 UK tour); The Glass Menagerie (Rose Theatre, Kingston and tour); Untitled F*ck M*ss S**gon Play (Manchester Royal Exchange/Young Vic); No Pay? No Way!, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Beginning (Manchester Royal Exchange); The Tempest and Cymbeline (Royal Shakespeare Company); Linck & Mülhahn, Mary and The Fever Syndrome (Hampstead Theatre); The White Factory and Dmitry (Marylebone Theatre) and The Mirror and the Light (Gielgud Theatre).

Helena is a member of the Casting Directors’ Guild.

Massi trained at the National Youth Theatre and has previously worked with Compass Collective as Assistant Director.

Assistant Director credits include: Next Steps (Compass Collective) and I’ll See You Again (Midlands Arts Centre). Massi was also a Production Assistant on Fly With Me by Good Chance Theatre, an immersive, international kite flying festival presented by Afghan artists.

Acting credits include: Silent Statues (National Youth Theatre and Royal & Derngate, Northampton); Love in Isolation (Shakespeare’s Globe) and Voices in the Dark (Sam Wanamaker Playhouse & Shakespeare’s Globe).

Ian Taylor is a Production Manager with over two decades of experience in the theatre and
events industry. He has worked for producers such as Birmingham Rep, Sheffield Theatres,
Hampstead Theatre, Barber Opera, Bush Theatre, Southwark Playhouse, The Park Theatre, the
Philharmonia Orchestra, W11 Opera, Arcola Theatre, Troupe, Papatango and Secret Cinema.

His career began in stage management at Glyndebourne and the Royal Opera companies in
2004 and 2006, respectively, as an assistant stage manager. He later became a Stage Manager
for The Royal Opera, beginning with “Cosi fan Tutte” in 2010 and managing multiple shows in the
Linbury Studio for ROH2. He went on to stage manage for Secret Cinema, Opera Holland Park
and Pimlico Opera. He was Senior Stage Manager for Opera Holland Park’s Summer Festival for
four years. Before Moving to Production Managment in 2012 and starting eStage.

Ian holds a bachelor’s degree in stage management and technical theatre, with honours, from
the guildhall school of music and drama.

Elaha Soroor is a Hazara singer, songwriter, and composer from Afghanistan. Her music is a blend of Afghanistan’s folk traditions with contemporary global sounds. She first rose to prominence in 2009 on Afghan Star, a popular music talent show, where her fearless performances made her a household name but also put her at risk. After relocating to the UK, she continued using music as a tool for activism, releasing the award-winning album Songs of Our Mothers with her band Kefaya in 2019.

She has composed for theatre and film, including The Boy With Two Hearts and The Beekeeper of Aleppo, and led music workshops for women, children, and refugees. Her recent anthem Bread, Work, Freedom! is a powerful song which amplifies the voice of the women of Afghanistan calling for their rights and freedoms, symbolizing their courage in the face of oppression.

Elaha Soroor is a Hazara singer, songwriter, and composer from Afghanistan. Her music is a blend of Afghanistan’s folk traditions with contemporary global sounds. She first rose to prominence in 2009 on Afghan Star, a popular music talent show, where her fearless performances made her a household name but also put her at risk. After relocating to the UK, she continued using music as a tool for activism, releasing the award-winning album Songs of Our Mothers with her band Kefaya in 2019.

She has composed for theatre and film, including The Boy With Two Hearts and The Beekeeper of Aleppo, and led music workshops for women, children, and refugees. Her recent anthem Bread, Work, Freedom! is a powerful song which amplifies the voice of the women of Afghanistan calling for their rights and freedoms, symbolizing their courage in the face of oppression.

Elaha Soroor is a Hazara singer, songwriter, and composer from Afghanistan. Her music is a blend of Afghanistan’s folk traditions with contemporary global sounds. She first rose to prominence in 2009 on Afghan Star, a popular music talent show, where her fearless performances made her a household name but also put her at risk. After relocating to the UK, she continued using music as a tool for activism, releasing the award-winning album Songs of Our Mothers with her band Kefaya in 2019.

She has composed for theatre and film, including The Boy With Two Hearts and The Beekeeper of Aleppo, and led music workshops for women, children, and refugees. Her recent anthem Bread, Work, Freedom! is a powerful song which amplifies the voice of the women of Afghanistan calling for their rights and freedoms, symbolizing their courage in the face of oppression.