I’m Sayan – playwright and composer.
I’m fascinated by the moral dilemmas that shape our lives. My writing moves between the personal and the political, exploring everything from love, identity and cultural divisions to ethical questions raised by technology and climate change.
Ultimately, I’m interested in what makes us human – and sometimes what doesn’t. Humour often finds its way into my work. I love satire and the raw, uncomfortable truths that lie beneath it.
My writing has received awards and nominations, including wins at the 2024 Page Turner Screenplay Awards (TV Drama Series) and Capital New Writing Festival (Short Play), a nomination for the John Whiting Award, shortlisting for the Terence Rattigan Award, and longlistings for the Bruntwood and Papatango Prizes. I was a writer-on-attachment at the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2022 and I’m currently under commission to the National Theatre for NT Connections 2027.
As a composer, I’ve written songs and scores for more than 35 productions. Selected credits include Faith (Royal Shakespeare Company), Maggie May (Liverpool Royal Court), Ostrich Boys (Birmingham Rep) and Dinosaur Dreams (Unicorn Theatre, Writers’ Guild Award nomination for Best Play for Young People). My opera Her Day, with a libretto by Vanessa Oakes, premiered as part of Coventry UK City of Culture in 2022.
I trained in Community Theatre Arts at Rose Bruford College and hold an MPhil in Playwriting from the University of Birmingham. I began my career as an actor, performing in theatre, television and alternative cabaret, while also writing musicals. Over time, my focus shifted towards writing for stage, while composing has remained a constant thread throughout my career. I have worked across the UK, from large-scale venues including the Royal Albert Hall to village halls on rural tours.
I’ve also worked as a director, dramaturg and musical director.
I’m a member of BOLDtext Playwrights, a collective of West Midlands writers whose work has been staged at Birmingham Rep and in site-specific locations across the region.
Do get in touch. I’d love to hear from you!