In celebration of Cove Park’s 25th Anniversary, our next Spotlight on 25 is by playwright, researcher and cultural producer Mohamed-Zain Dada.

Following an international call for applications, Zain was awarded a residency in 2023 and worked on the rehearsal draft for his debut play, Blue Mist, which premiered at the Royal Court Theatre, was nominated for an Olivier Award, and is now in development for the screen.

‘Being a playwright in London can feel like a relentless pursuit.  We live in a time of precarity so having the time to think, pause, reflect and play is rare.  Cove Park offered me this in abundance.  I was surrounded by artists from across all disciplines and the opportunity to write without the pressure of a deadline.  It felt like the perfect kind of creative salon alongside the breathtaking scenic views of the west coast of Scotland.’

Mohamed-Zain is a writer and director. He graduated with an MA in Creative Writing and Education from Goldsmiths, University of London, where he was awarded the Aziz Foundation scholarship. His plays include Speed (Bush Theatre), Dizzy (Sheffield Theatres), and Blue Mist (Royal Court, 2023).

Zain has been part of the Soho Theatre Writers Lab, the Royal Court Theatre Writers Group, the School of High Tide Writers Group, Tamasha Theatre Writers Group, and BBC London Voices. He is also the co-founder of Khidr Collective, an annual zine platforming the work of British Muslim artists, featured in outlets such as VICE, Huck Magazine and ARTE.

Beyond theatre, Zain won an Outspoken Award for directing the poetry film The Moon is a Meme, and was named a Winston Churchill Fellow for his research on ‘The Future of Community Arts.’

Courtesy of Mohamed-Zain Dada.