Kamal Kaan

Writer - Drama, Theatre, Radio, Television

Agent: Jean Kitson - jean@kitsonpress.co.uk

Kamal Kaan is an actor and writer. Having graduated from The University of Cambridge he was awarded the Brian Park Scholarship (Shed Productions) to undertake an MA in TV Fiction Writing at Glasgow Caledonian University.

In 2021, he had two major theatre pieces staged: ‘2010’, one of the Leeds Playhouse major Decades series of monologues, and Aaliyah: After Antigone, a mixed live and streamed theatre play for Freedom Studios in Bradford. He was also Story Consultant on Clio Barnard’s Bradford set film Ali & Ava, and has a short film in post-production with BFI Funding. His most recent radio play, Bangla Bantams, broadcast in January 2022 on BBC Radio 4 – you can listen here.

Kamal is an alumni of the Royal Court Young Writer’s Programme, the Bush Theatre’s Emerging Writers’ programme, was a Writer-in-Residence at Leeds Playhouse and part of BBC Writersroom Drama Room 2017, having been selected from 4000 script submissions.

Work

Current

Title TBA

Duck Soup

Original television project in development with Duck Soup

Dance School

Duck Soup / Channel 4

Writing one episode of Duck Soup’s debut 8 x 30′ TV commission with Channel 4.

BatGirls

BBC Radio 4

A 3-part series for BBC Radio 4, based on the real life story of girl’s cricket team, set in Bradford. Co-written with Mary Cooper.

Me and the Witch

Channel 4

Short film funded by Channel 4. A social realist story with a supernatural twist.

Film and Television

All The Lights Still Burning (2021)

BFI Network / BFI Film Hub North

A BFI short film set in Bradford, directed by award winning director Dominic Leclerc Feb 2022.

Ali & Ava (Story Consultant)

Clio Barnard

Worked with Clio Barnard as Story Consultant on her new feature film, which received its world premiere at Cannes Film Festival and UK premiere at The London Film Festival.

The Secret Lives of the Amir Sisters

Bandit / BBC

Writers’ room and consultancy with Bandit for the BBC.

Radio

Afternoon Drama: Bangla Bantams (2022)

BBC Radio 4

1 x 45mins based on the true story of a British-Bangladeshi football fan group supporting Bradford City football club, co-written with Mary Cooper. Broadcast on 27th January 2022 – listen here.

Afternoon Drama: Father's Land in Mother Tongue (2019)

BBC Radio 4

45′ Afternoon Play broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on 12th August 2019.

Airplays: On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring (2018)

Leeds Playhouse / BBC Radio Leeds

Radio Drama
15-minute radio drama responding to the theme of migration. Performed live at Leeds College of Music 23rd – 27th Oct 2018, before being broadcast across BBC Radio Drama.

Afternoon Drama: Breaking Up with Bradford (2017)

BBC Radio 4

1 x 45 mins
An original single drama recorded site specifically in Bradford about what it means to leave and return back to the place that once used to be home. TX August 2017.

On Hearing The First Cuckoo In Spring

BBC Radio 3 and Writersroom North

1 x 5 mins
Commissioned pilot script for BBC Music day for radio monologue inspired by a piece of classical music.

The Headline Ballads: Whilst The Water Weeps Next To The Water

BBC Radio 4

1 x 30 mins
Episode 3 of a poetry-led documentary exploring the impact of flooding in the North of England and Bangladesh, weaving personal testimonies with a narrative poetic ballad.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b084wzjn

As The Cloud Takes It's Last Breath (2015)

BBC Radio 3

1 x 8 mins
A radio monologue based on the ideas of Mindfulness, inspired by the poetry of Persian poet Rumi.
WINNER: Verb New Voices 3 – New Writing North.
For more information click here

Theatre

AMMA (2022-2023)

Tara Theatre

A part VR, part live experience. Original run from 30th November to the 17th December 2022 at Tara Theatre. Second run 19th – 21st May 2023 at Theatre in the Mill.

Winter Tales (2022)

Northern Broadsides Theatre Company

Wrote ‘The Greatest Story Ever Told’ read by Arian Nik, released on Northern Broadsides Winter Tales podcast on 28th December 2022.

Links:
– Website
– Spotify
– Google
– Apple

Aaliyah: After Antigone (2021)

Freedom Studios

Commissioned for a new play – a contemporary retelling of Antigone staged in a mixed live and online format, October 2021.

Decades (2021)

Leeds Playhouse

A monologue for stage and film alongside Maxine Peake and Simon Armitage celebrating 50 years of the Leeds Playhouse. Kamal wrote ‘2010s’. Opened May 2021.

Lockdown Diaries (2020)

Skipton Camerata

5 monologues about the Covid-19 lockdown, with original compositions from 5 different composers and performed with a 7 piece orchestra (https://skiptoncamerata.com/lockdown-diaries)

Us (2020)

Knaïve Theatre

A new stage play about the global pandemic, commissioned and produced by Knaïve Theatre for the inaugural season of Knaïve Theatre presents: A Digital Lyceum. The play was performed at Knaïve Theatre’s pop-up digital venue digital-lyceum.com on the 10th, 11th & 12th of December 2020, using Zoom livestreamed to YouTube.

Pop Up Opera (2019)

Freedom Studios, Bradford

Theatre commission for early development on a contemporary opera.

Where Do We Stand (2017-2018)

Northern Stage

Development and dramaturg of a new work for Northern Stage’s Young Company. For production April 2018.

Sacrilege (2016)

The Bush Theatre

Stage Play.
A tragic love story set against an unforgiving Bradford landscape, written as part of Emerging Writers Group 2016/17.
https://www.bushtheatre.co.uk/artists/emerging-writers-group/

As the Cloud Takes Its Last Breath (2016)

St. Chad's Chapel

1 x 15 mins
Re-comissioned for the Durham Book Festival 2016. Performed using wireless headphones within the setting of the historic Chapel in St. Chad’s College, Durham University.

The Rose and Bulbul (2016)

Kadam/The Hat Factory

1 x 45 mins
Stockwood Garden, Luton.
Site specific promenade theatre in collaboration with musicians, actors and dancers, following the story of an immigrant bird – Bulbal, and a young girl – Rose.

The Weather Machine (2015)

Stage@Leeds

1 x 60 mins
Immersive theatre exploring the relationship between our human condition and the weather conditions. The audience navigated the action with a field guide and wireless headphones. Made in collaboration with David Shearing – winner of the Sky Arts Scholarship, 2014.
Please see SkyArts Documentary following the making of the piece.
http://www.davidshearing.com/about/sky-video/

See reviews here and here.

R&D of The Weather Machine (2014)

The West Yorkshire Playhouse.

1 x 30 mins
The first phase of The Weather Machine in the context of a regional theatre, exploring the mechanics of scripted text through wireless headphones.

And it All Comes Down To This... (2012)

Stage@Leeds

1 x 45 mins
A multi media performance combining text, sound and video.
Made in collaboration with David Shearing.
WINNER: Best Installation at World Stage Design, Wales 2013.
For more information click here

If Anyone Wonders Why Rocks Breakdown (2011)

Stage@Leeds

1 x 24 mins
A multi media theatre installation made in collaboration with David Shearing. Expereinced through wireless headphones, exploring love and loss inspired by the poetry of William Blake.

http://www.davidshearing.com/works/if-anyone-wonders-why-rocks-breakdown/

Awards/Shortlists/Other Recognitions

Screen

CHANNEL 4/ LIME PICTURES NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY, TELEVISION WRITING AWARDS FOR HOLLYOAKS. (2016)

Top 10 shortlisted for intensive workshop day story lining and producing a scene by scene for an original episode.

BBC : DRAMA SUBMISSION FOR SCRIPTROOM 5 – BBC WRITERSROOM
( 2014)

Shortlisted to top 5% from 1200 submissions for the drama room submission.

ITV : EMMERDALE BAME NEW WRITERS INITIATIVE (2012)

Shortlisted and given full script feedback on a pilot script for a television drama.

BBC WRITERS FESTIVAL ‘SKYLIGHT INITIATIVE’ (2012)

Participation by invitation to the festival, receiving intensive workshops with leading TV writers.

BBC : THE COMEDY STUDIO, BBC WRITERSROOM (2011)

Long-listed with a pilot script for a television sit-com.

Theatre

HODGKISS AWARD – ROYAL EXCHANGE THEATRE (2016)
I REALLY NEED TO TALK TO YA

Final 7 shortlist for Hodgkiss Award – Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester. A site specific interactive installation

https://www.royalexchange.co.uk/hodgkiss-2016-shortlist