Melina Namdar

Melina Namdar is a British-Iranian stage and screen writer and director whose groundbreaking work champions diversity, equity, and inclusion. Known for her compelling storytelling, Melina’s productions amplify underrepresented voices, and spark vital conversations.

In 2024, Melina was awarded a bursary by Artistic Directors of the Future, marking a significant step in her journey toward becoming an influential artistic leader. Her work has earned widespread critical acclaim, with nominations for the Asian Media Awards, Black British Theatre Awards, and Offies.

Her directorial credits include the celebrated productions Vitamin D (Soho Theatre), All the Happy Things (Theatre503), and Passion Fruit (New Diorama). She has also contributed as Assistant/Associate Director to major productions, such as Arabian Nights (Bristol Old Vic), Baghdaddy (Royal Court), Orfeus: A House Music Opera (Young Vic), and Ctrl Alt Delete (Lyric Hammersmith).

As a writer, Melina’s talents have been recognised through her selection for the London Library’s Emerging Writers Programme in 2024, her commission to write a short play for the Gate Theatre’s Gateways in 2024, the prestigious National Theatre’s Peter Shaffer Commission in 2022, and long-listings for the BBC Script Room and The Women’s Prize for Playwriting in 2021.