afshan d’souza-lodhi was born in Dubai and forged in Manchester. She is a writer of scripts and poetry. Her work has been performed and translated into numerous languages across the world. afshan was a 2020 LabFellow for Global Performance and Politics at Georgetown University and took her one-woman show ‘How To Eat Mangoes’ to Washington DC in 2022. Her debut poetry collection ‘re:desire’ (Burning Eye Books) was longlisted for the Jhalak Prize (2021).
In 2021, afshan was a Sky Writes writer-in-residence for Rotherham, a partnership between Sky Studios and New Writing North. She is currently part of the Royal Exchange and WarnerMedia writers exchange programme and is an Oldham Coliseum’s artist-in-residence. afshan was selected as one of the BAFTA BFI Flare mentees for 2022 and is currently developing a TV series with Sky Studios. She is also developing a TV series with co-writer Joe Willis and PDA films. The pilot ’Its My Party…’ was chosen for the SKY Table Reads programme.
A TV pilot she wrote called Chop Chop, based on her stage play with the same name, was selected as part of the second annual #MuslimList, a curated list of the most promising unmade scripts from Muslim writers in Hollywood that reside on The Black List. This year, afshan was one of the first to receive The National Theatre’s Peter Shaffer 2022 Commission in conjunction with The Royal Exchange Theatre.
As well as her own writing, afshan is keen to develop other younger and emerging artists and sits on the boards of Manchester Literature Festival and Pie Radio.
Reading and Development roles:
Script reader, New Writing North, Northern Writers Awards – ROLLEM & BONFIDE, 2022
Programme Manager (Literature; Theatre & Dance), British Council– 2018 – 2021
Editor In Chief, The Common Sense Network – 2017 –2021
Script Reader, Tamasha Theatre Company – 2017-2020
Slate Enabler, Eclipse Theatre Company –2017- 2018
New Writing Coordinator, Commonword – 2013-2017
Deputy Director of Publishing, Dog Horn Publishing – 2011-2017
Writing Residencies, Schemes and Projects:
Independent Film Trust’s Creative Corridor programme – October 2022 – Current
BAFTA BFI FLARE mentee – March 2022 – Current
WarnerMedia Writers Exchange at Royal Exchange Theatre – March 2022 – Current
Oldham Coliseum Artist in Residence – March 2022 – January 2023
Melbourne UNESCO City of Literature Writer-in-residence – November 2021 – February 2022
SkyWrites resident writer – (New Writing North & SkyStudios) – Jan 2021 – December 2021
Georgetown Lab fellow in Global Performance and Politics – Feb 2020 – current
Manchester Town Hall Tales – July 2019 – November 2019
BBC WritersRoom North – October 2017 – November 2018
Tamasha Playwrights Scheme October 2016 – March 2018
Eclipse Theatre – Writer in Residence at Royal Exchange Theatre December 2015 – 2016
Re:Play Writer and Performer Jan 2015 – June 2017
Young Enigma Co-founder – 2012 – present
Produced Stage and Radio plays:
How to Eat Mangoes March/April 2021- June 2022 VARIOUS Unites States
Run(a)way, The Young Vic – February 2021
Santi & Naz, The Thelmas, Vault Festival – January 2020
Chop Chop (radio play) – October 2019
Assembly Women – Theatre In The Mill – March 2018
Meatz R Uz, Tamasha (RichMix) – September 2017
Part It Part Not, Royal Exchange Theatre – September 2017
The Promised Land, Bolton Octagon; Camden People’s Theatre & SouthBank –2015 – 2016
Round The Fire, West Yorkshire Playhouse – June 2016
The Lesborrist Tapes: February 2013 – August 2015
Teacups, Royal Exchange Theatre – April 2016
Publications:
Tell Me Who We Were Before Life Made Us, 3 Cups Press 2021 (contributor)
Not Quite Right For Us, Flipped Eye 2021 (contributor)
re: desire; Burning Eye Books 2020 (author)
Match Made In Heaven; Hope Road Publishing 2020 (contributor)
Its Not About The Burqa; Picador 2019 (Contributor)
sounds that exceed 80 decibels; Commonword 2017 (editor and contributor)
Elevator Fiction; Commonword 2016 (editor and contributor)
Spoke: New Queer Voices; Dog Horn Publishing 2015 (Contributor)
My Dear Watson: The Very Elements in Poetry; Beautiful Dragon Press 2015 (Contributor)
Awards:
Jhalak Prize (for re: desire) – longlisted 2021
Asian Media Award (for Santi & Naz) – Shortlisted 2021
Vault Festival Origins Award (for Santi & Naz) – won 2020
Foyles Book of the Year (for Its Not About The Burqa) – Shortlisted 2019
Adopt a Playwright Award – Shortlisted 2018
Old Vic 12, writer – Shortlisted 2016
The Big Issue in the North – Outsider’s Award November 2011
Community History Award – Zion Arts Centre Celebrations 2010
Community Cohesion Award – V Inspired November 2009
The Search Party – Royal Exchange Theatre Manchester March 2009
My Voice – Reading Agency November 2009
Photo Credit: Youcef Hadjazi