Deen & Dunya @The London Library (In person)
Join us for a very special Ramadan evening of poetry, music and communal spirit, courtesy of Deen & Dunya, a poetry night which celebrates and elevates Muslim voices.
Expect an evening punctuated with poetry, soundtracked by a live DJ, with a break and food for Iftar. Compered by Azan Ahmed, with readings and performances from a line-up including Yassmin Abdel Magied, Zia Ahmed, Inua Ellams and Chifaa Khelfaoui.
Deen & Dunya is an authentically Muslim space created by writer and actor Azan Ahmed. Since its inception, it has enjoyed sell-out nights at Bush Theatre, Royal Court, Theatre Royal Stratford East and Shakespeare’s Globe, headlining the Shakespeare and Race Festival.
Yassmin Abdel-Magied is a Sudanese diaspora writer, broadcaster and award-winning social advocate. Her books include two middle grade novels, You Must Be Layla and Listen, Layla, which she is now adapting for screen, and Talking About a Revolution, an urgent critique of contemporary culture and Stand Up and Speak Out Against Racism, a practical guide for children. Her critically acclaimed essays have been published widely, including in the bestselling It’s Not About The Burqa and The New Daughters of Africa. She is a Trustee of The London Library.
Azan Ahmed is an actor and poet whose work explores the navigation of cultural identity through lenses of migration, faith and masculinity. As an actor, he studied English and Drama at Royal Holloway and trained with the Almeida Young Company. He has appeared in productions including Jack Absolute Flies Again and The Father and the Assassin at the National Theatre and on television in Count Abdulla, Van Der Valk III, Mood, Hope Street and Doctors.
Zia Ahmed is a poet and writer. He is a former Roundhouse Slam Champion and a Writer in Residence at Paines Plough as part of Channel 4’s Playwright Scheme 2017. In 2019, his stage debut I Wanna Be Yours premiered at the Bush Theatre and Peaceophobia, was performed at venues in Manchester and Bradford in 2021. He has written for My White Best Friend, was part of the writers room for the first series of We Are Lady Parts, and is currently under commission with the Royal Court and the Bush Theatre.
Inua Ellams is a Nigerian-born, UK-based poet, playwright, performer, graphic artist and designer who has written for the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre and the BBC. His published books of poetry include Thirteen Fairy Negro Tales, #Afterhours, The Half-God of Rainfall and, recently, The Actual, his first full collection. His first play The 14th Tale was awarded a Fringe First at the Edinburgh International Theatre Festival and his fourth Barber Shop Chronicles sold out two runs at England’s National Theatre.
Chifaa Khelfaoui is an actress and writer. She is currently training in Acting at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Chifaa is also a spoken word artist. Her inspirations come from hip-hop. In the future, she hopes to incorporate languages for the purpose of connecting to a global audience.
Books by the speakers will be available to buy at the event and online from our partner bookshop Hatchards.
NB Doors (and the bar) will open at 6.30pm for a 7pm start.
Space will be made for prayers during Iftar and light food is included.
London Library events are subject to Terms & Conditions
