Collective Authorship - Hotel Britannia

Join BÉZNĂ Theatre and three commissioned writers for the exclusive first public sharing of a new, collectively written play in response to the theme of “Reversals”.  

Who doesn’t love a whodunnit — the thrill of the chase, the catching of a murderer, the final explanation, when everything clicks into place? But what happens when accountability is harder to pin down?

Step inside Hotel Britannia, a migrant hotel shaken by an inexplicable death, as an investigation unfolds behind closed doors. Who is responsible, and who will pay?

This project is based on the belief that the collective, the community, holds a wealth of knowledge. When individuals with diverse experiences, skills, and perspectives come together, they can produce exceptionally rich work. When solidarity unites artists around a common cause, extraordinary creations can emerge. This is a pilot programme designed to test that theory. The writers are working together across two weeks; one in January 2026 and one in February 2026 - ahead of this sharing in March 2026. 

About the writers

ZAKIYYAH DEEN 

Zakiyyah is a London-born actor and writer with Afro-Caribbean roots. Her work is playful yet provocative, exploring the intersections of identity, emotion and the politics of the everyday. Her debut play “WHY A BLACK WOMAN WILL NEVER BE PRIME MINISTER” sold out its critically acclaimed run at Camden People’s Theatre and was shortlisted for the Mustapha Matura Award.  On screen, she has worked with Steve McQueen, BBC Three and led a Netflix supported short film. In 2025, she was one of four writers selected from over six hundred applicants for the NFTS x Left Bank Pictures Diverse Writers Development Programme. She now has a few original projects in development.

SORIA HAMIDI

Soria is writer/director based in London. She was selected for the Kiln Theatre Young Writers Programme, the Vineyard Theatre Literary Programme and Kali Theatre Workshops. She also completed the London Library Emerging Writers Programme. Her play, A Burst of Light, was shortlisted and commended by the Woven Voices Prize for Playwriting 2025.  

ISABELLA LEUNG

Isabella is a playwright and theatre-maker from Hong Kong, trained at L'école Philippe Gaulier. Her debut play, A BOUFFON PLAY ABOUT HONG KONG, finalist of The Women's Prize for Playwriting ‘21, was presented at PUSH festival at HOME theatre Manchester. She was nominated by the public as a finalist for Manchester Culture Awards Independent Creative of the Year ‘23, and has been a cohort for Criterion Theatre New Writing '24. She takes pride in telling wild and bold stories from the perspective of the outcast, taking political risks with an unhinged sense of humour.

Writers’ room facilitated by Sînziana Cojocărescu.

Mentors include Joel Tan, Matilda Feyiṣayọ Ibini, Sami Ibrahimi

Further team to be announced.

For more information about the programme, visit https://www.beznatheatre.org/rds/collective

Follow BÉZNA Theatre on Instagram for project updates.

With thanks to Arts Council England, British Arab Writers Group, Metroland Cultures, and Riverside Studios.

Please email [javascript protected email address] with any questions or if you wish to support this programme.