If you don't know Kiran Benawra

…Let me introduce you!

Kiran Benawra is a writer and freelance TV producer who grew up in Slough and is now based in London. She studied English with Creative Writing at the University of Nottingham and then did a masters degree in Playwriting and Screenwriting at City University.

Since then, she’s completed The Soho Theatre’s Comedy Lab and trained at the improv school, The Free Association where she’s now part of two of their house teams, Minority Report and Dream Phone (with me!).

I asked Kiran some questions!

HALEY: How did you get started in this line of work?

KIRAN: It was actually my drama teacher at school in Slough who encouraged me to enter my first playwriting competition. My dark comedy entry went on to be performed as one of three winners. So my family and friends bundled into a minibus, the driver got lost, and we all arrived half way through but in time for my play. Seeing their reactions to something I’d created was all the encouragement I needed – I had caught the writing bug!

HALEY: How do you describe your work? Or, how do you explain to people how you spend your days?

KIRAN: Sometimes I like to create surreal worlds in my writing. Other times I love to explore the extreme emotion of the everyday. And sometimes I like to blend both!

HALEY: In a sentence or two, what’s your artistic mission? Or who is your work dedicated to?

KIRAN: My passion is comedy! I think the ability to make people laugh is a superpower. There IS a lot of power in laughter - you can tackle big subjects and offer some relief through humour. That’s what I aim to do.

HALEY: What are some of your favourite projects that you’ve worked on so far?

KIRAN: Cold Feet and Bacon Sandwiches - a short play. I was part of The Mono Box’s PLAYSTART 2019 scheme, my short play Cold Feet and Bacon Sandwiches performed on the Hampstead Theatre’s main stage. The play is about two coma patients with a codependent bond, a bond that is threatened when one finds out their life support is being turned off.

The script was then published as part of an anthology by Oberon Books. The play text was also used in director workshops at the National Film and Television School.

The Three Ps monologue - As part of South Asian Heritage Month, Kali Theatre commissioned me to write The Three Ps, a monologue reflecting on the pandemic, power, and partition.

Meanwhile in Lockdown… IGTV Series - During lockdown, I wrote, co-produced and co-directed the Meanwhile in Lockdown... series with Cariad Productions. I was in one of the episodes too. I thought this up during the start of lockdown when I wasn’t working and just wanted to make something for fun. The comedy shorts highlight how cabin fever can take over and affect our love lives, social plans and sleep patterns. We put all of the episodes out on Instagram, hoping they’d give people some light relief in the current situation.

HALEY: What are you working on these days?

KIRAN: I’m currently working on a new play with Abeille Theatre company. I am also a regular guest on Ask Smart Women*, a Facebook Live improvised advice show.

HALEY: What artist(s) do you look up to?

KIRAN: I really look up to Mindy Kaling and Michaela Coel. Oh and some comedians that I love are Ali Wong, Sideman and Megan Stalter.

HALEY: Anything else?? Please tell me.

KIRAN: I have worked on productions for BBC One, BBC Two and MTV, and I was also the creator of Channel 4’s online comedy entertainment series, Rage Room.
I was a finalist in the comedy writing category at the Funny Women Awards 2017, and I recently wrote an article for them about ‘Karens’.