Mukul Ahmed (Bengali: মুকুল আহমেদ) is a British-Bengali theatre director and producer.

Mukul Ahmed
EducationMaster of Fine Arts Theatre Directing, Bachelor of Medicine
Alma materBirkbeck, University of London, Sofia Medical University
Occupation(s)Theatre director, Theatrical producer
Years active2007–present
Organization(s)Mukul and Ghetto Tigers
Websitewww.mukulandghettotigers.com

Early life

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In 1993, after moving to London, he saw an advert in the local newspaper that the old Half Moon Theatre wanted people to work on a play. He was selected and the production he worked on was Romeo and Juliet.[1]

Career

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In 2007, Mukul completed a Master of Fine Arts in theatre directing at Birkbeck, University of London.[2] In April 2007, he helped launch TARA Studio as curator of the first season, Hotbed, for young and emerging BME directors.[3]

Mukul has directed a series of classics, new writing and play readings.[3] His maiden direction of an adaptation of The Adventures of Baron Munchausen in 2007 earned him four stars from The Times theatre critic. Other major plays directed by Mukul are Julius Caesar, The Rape of Lucrece, Romeo and Juliet, LONDONEE, Devdas, Enig-mas, Silent Sister's-Brother's Unhinged, Rokeya's Dream (based on Sultana's Dream),[2] and Gauhar Jaan.

Mukul has staff directed at the Royal National Theatre, and directed People's Romeo (based on Romeo and Juliet) and an all female multinational Julius Caesar for Tara Arts. In July 2010, he directed Tahmima Anam's A Golden Age for the Southbank Centre. Ahmed also programmed a Youth Shakespeare Festival season at Tara Arts in 2010 and ran the Tara Arts young actors programme, ArtsBeat.[2] He also programmed a Black History Month Festival.

Mukul has done an attachment with the Royal National Theatre under the Stepchange bursary programme.[2]

Mukul is the artistic director of Mukul and Ghetto Tigers, an East London-based theatre company.

Works

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Theatre

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Play Author Venue Year Notes
Three Short Plays Nick Bain Theatre 503 2006
Adventure of Baron Munchausen Rudolph Eric Raspe Tara Studio 2007 World Premiere
Rape of Lucrece William Shakespeare. Adapted by Todor Dimitrov Tara Studio 2008 In English and Bulgarian. Tara Arts production
Print's of Denmark Nick Bain Edinburgh Fringe and Tara Studio 2007 Mixed Company and Tara Arts project. Short listed for the Amnesty Award
Sonata Mahesh Elkunchwar. Adapted by Lisa Gazi and Mita Rahman Tara Studio and International tour 2008
night, Mother Marsha Norman. Adapted by Mita Rahman Dhaka, Bangladesh 2009
Demon's Revenge/Meghnad Bodh Kavya Michael Modhusudan Dutt. Prologue by Saymon Zakaria British Council Auditorium, Dhaka, Bangladesh and Tara Studio 2010 Supported by the British Council
Rokeya's Dream Begum Rokeya. Adapted by Rae Lever Tara Studio, Rose Brufford College and Brady Arts Centre 2009 Produced by Mahila Sangha, Women's Group and Tara Arts
The Girl and The Pipeline Paul Bilic Tara Studio 2008 Tara Arts production
People's Romeo William Shakespeare Tara Studio and National tour 2010 Arts Council funded
A Golden Age Tahmima Anam.

Adapted by Jatinder Verma and Mukul Ahmed

The South Bank Centre and Rich Mix 2009 and 2010 Produced by Culturepot Global and Tara Arts
Julius Caesar William Shakespeare International tour 2010 All women multinational cast.

Produced by Stage One Dhaka. Supported by the British Council

LONDONEE Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti Rich Mix and A Season of Bangla Drama 2011 World Premiere. Produced by Mukul and Ghetto Tigers (MGT)
Debdas Farrukh Dhondy Rich Mix 2012 Produced by MGT
A Midsummer Night's Dream William Shakespeare Asian University for Women, Bangladesh 2012 Produced by AUW
Enig-mas Raminder Kaur Kahlon Rich Mix and Brady Arts Centre 2013 MGT production. Arts Council funded
Fair's not Fair Raminder Kaur Kahlon Peterborough 2012 Produced by Sussex University
Three Daughter's of Shakespeare Farrukh Dhondy International tour 2013 Produced by MGT
Faust Farrukh Dhondy International tour 2014 Produced by MGT, Supported by the Goethe Institute, Bangladesh and German Embassy, Bangladesh
The Dark Moon Asok Barua International tour 2014 Produced by BITA
Romeo and Juliet William Shakespeare Theatre Olympics, A Season of Bangla Drama, London and International tour 2015-18 Produced by MGT
Unsung Ayndrila Singharay Dartington Tagore Festival 2013 Produced by MGT and Red Mane Theatre. Arts Council funded
Commencing Jane Shepard Women in the Arts Festival, Tristan Bates Theatre 2013 Produced by MGT and the So So Arts Club
Punjabi Boy Amman Brar Rich Mix and Hounslow Arts Centre 2016 Produced by MGT and EK Punjaban Theatre
Punjabi Girl Amman Brar Rich Mix 2016 Produced by MGT and EK Punjaban Theatre
Altab Ali Julie Begum Brady Arts Centre and school tour 2016-18 Produced by Swadhinata Trust and MGT. Arts Council funded
Mishti Gals Raminder Kaur Kahlon A Season of Bangla Drama, London 2016 World Premiere. Co-produced with Sohaya Visions. Arts Council funded
Oscar and the Lady in Pink Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt International tour and A Season of Bangla Drama, London 2016-17 Co- produced with Alliance Francaise, Chittagong, Bangladesh and Bistaar, Bangladesh
Silent Sister's- Brother's Unhinged Raminder Kaur Kahlon National tour 2017 Co – produced with Sohaya Visions. Arts Council funded
Gauhar Jaan Tarun Jasani Omnibus Theatre 2018 ACE funded. Supported by EMI and The British Library
RABI’A Tarun Jasani Brady Arts Centre 2017 Co – produced with Sohaya Visions. Arts Council funded
To Father A Nation Farrukh Dhondy Rich Mix 2018 Arts Council funded
Mrityu Ghar (Olga's Room) Dea Loher. Adapted by Atik Rahman International Tour Supported by the Goethe Institute and German Embassy, Bangladesh.

Festival / event / community / dance / installation

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Event Space Year Notes
Freedom The Geffrye Museum 2011 Produced by MGT, supported by The Geffrye Museum
Tagore The Baul St. Ethelburgas and Music Migration Festival 2011 and 2012 Produced by MGT
Fatal Hunt, dance drama by Tagore The Geffrye Museum 2012 Produced by MGT, supported by The Geffrye Museum
The Flying Man – Tagore 150th Centenary The British Library 2012 Produced by MGT, supported by The British Library
Durga Pooja - Kirtan York Hall 2012 Produced by MGT
Manush – Installation and performance NSH 2014 Produced by MGT
Ramayana the War Game WOMAD 2015 Produced by MGT, supported by Sussex University
Manush – Nazrul Blake – Installation and performance NSH 2015 Installation by Alice Sielle. Produced by MGT, supported by Songs of the city.
Abhijan – Traveler to a new destination WOMAD 2016 Produced by MGT, supported by Sussex University
Maanusher Gaan – Songs for everyone Oxford Harvest Festival, Brady Arts Centre. All Points East 2017, 2018 & 2019 Produced by MGT, supported by Sussex University. ACE funded
Fundraising event Migrant Lives Matter, Sussex University 2018 & 2019 Produced by MGT, supported by Sussex University
All Points East Victoria Park 2019 Produced by AEG Presents Ltd
Kadam – Stepping into the Future Rich Mix 2019 Dance event. MGT production. ACE funded, supported by THC and Rich Mix

Opera

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Nazrul in Vienna Concept – Judith Bingham. Composition -Oliver Weeks; Lyrics - Farrukh Dhondy and Buffy Sharpe   Rich Mix 2017 ACE funded

Personal life

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Since 1990, Mukul has lived in Tower Hamlets, London.[1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Hussain, Delwar (20 September 2013). "Mukul Ahmed, Theatre Director". London: Spitalfields Life. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d "A "Sonata" for Dhaka". The Daily Star. Bangladesh. 4 January 2010. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  3. ^ a b "Mukul Ahmed". Tower Hamlets. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
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