Layla Madanat is a director, producer, dramaturg and researcher working across theatre, film and the social impact sector. Her practice is rooted in care, collaboration and a belief in the power of art to reflect — and reshape — the world around us.

She has worked as an Assistant and Associate at some of the UK’s most prestigious institutions, including the National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, Shakespeare’s Globe, and the Young Vic. Her work combines rigorous research with bold visual instincts and attentive leadership, guiding actors through creative processes that are precise, imaginative and genuinely supportive. She is committed to nurturing bold, decolonial and resonant stories, and has built an extensive track record of developing work with writers at early, mid, and established career stages.

She was a finalist for the 2021 Evening Standard & TikTok Future Theatre Fund, and longlisted for the 2025 RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award.

Beyond theatre, Layla’s documentary mosaic/فسيفساء (co-directed with Eleanor Nawal) was selected for the BFI London Film Festival Works-in-Progress Showcase and Sheffield DocFest, and was supported by multiple UK residencies. She is developing further screen projects that draw on skills honed in live performance: intimate storytelling, global perspectives and a commitment to the transformative power of storytelling. She welcomes new opportunities in film and documentary.

Her producing work reflects the same ethos. An alum of Stage One’s Bridge The Gap programme, she has worked with Theatre503, The Walk Productions, Good Chance and partners across the UK and Europe, co-producing projects that unite artistic ambition with social purpose. These projects range from integrating young refugees into creative processes to delivering international, community-led public art.

Alongside her artistic roles, Layla is an active researcher with an MSc in Gender, Development and Globalisation from the LSE, focusing on migration, community wellbeing and socio-political justice. She serves on the Boards of Trustees for the Young Vic and the National Student Drama Festival, reflecting her commitment to industry transformation and widening access.

Layla has taught on the MFA Acting at Guildford School of Acting, guiding emerging writers and performers through their creative processes, and continues to mentor early-career and underrepresented artists.

Warm, precise, and values-driven, Layla builds processes that are generous and deeply human. Drawn to work that interrogates the world we live in—whether intimate, epic or experimental—she seeks collaborations that expand form, craft and collective imagination. She thrives in collaborative environments and is dedicated to creating spaces where artists can take risks, grow and feel supported.

Layla works internationally across theatre, documentary and interdisciplinary projects, and welcomes new collaborations across both stage and screen.