Madani Younis

South Bank Show Award Winner 2006, GG2 Award Wiinner 2006

Madani Younis is the Artistic Director of freedomstudios.co.uk

Madani studied on the MPhil in Playwriting at the University of Birmingham under the tutelage of April De Angelis, David Edgar and Richard Pinner. Madani has worked nationally and internationally as a Director, Writer and Practitioner.

Appointed in 2002 as the Director of the Red Ladder Theatre Company's Asian Theatre School, Madani had successfully completed four productions for the company.  Streets of Rage (2002), a response to the Bradford riots of 2001. Silent Cry (2003- Regional Tour) (2004- National Tour). Freeworld (2004), an international collaboration with the Studio
Theatre Damascus, Syria, which explored contemporary notions of terror and terrorism. Caravan (2005) the story of a family of cake makers West Yorkshire Playhouse.

In spring 2005 Madani worked closely with the Red Ladder Theatre Company in scripting its devised show Free Falling which went on to tour nationally.

In autumn 2005 Madani wrote A Waiting Room for Journeying Souls (Directed by Geraldine Conner) an original piece of Musical theatre to open the new Peepuls Centre venue in Leicester. 2007 Doors by Madani Younis a devised production national touring production commissioned for Red Ladder Theatre Company. My Place site specific piece of theatre by Madani Younis & Mary Cooper for Tutti Frutti Productions.

The evolution of the Asian Theatre School under the direction of Madani Younis has seen the organisation achieve independence as a stand-alone Regularly Funded Organisation with the support of Arts Council England/Yorkshire under its new name freedomstudios.co.uk

Madani is the Vice Chair of Audiences Yorkshire Board of Trustees; and sits on the Arts Advisory Strategy Group for the Arts Council of England, the Sustained Theatre / national Spaces committee, and the steering group member on the work being undertaken by ACE YPPT.

Having originally trained within the medium of film, his debut short film ELLABELLAPUMPANELLA (2007)  has allowed him to begin a new chapter in his artistic development. ELLABELLAPUMPANELLA was screened at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2007.