Writer

Roann has written, performed, and produced their own one-person shows: My Father the Tantric Masseur (Soho Theatre, Edinburgh Fringe) and Who Murdered My Cat? (Soho Theatre, Arcola Theatre). Notably, Roann was also chosen for The North Wall Catalyst programme writers’ residency (2023) in Oxford and co-created the sellout show Besharam (Kala Sangam, 2023) in Bradford. They are an active member of the British Arab Writers Group and a member of the BBC London Voices 2021 cohort.

Since 2024, Roann has been Co-Artistic Director of Bet’n Lev Theatre company, where they co-wrote (with Joel Samuels) and currently perform in their sellout touring production, ReMythed, that won Show of the Week at Vault Festival 23. This joyful, queer, magical, and moving production has been described as a "warm hug of a play" (Theatre Weekly) and “a joyful evocation of queer mythology” (The Guardian, 4 stars).

Roann is currently writing a semi-autobiographical, comedy-drama, TV series Lights, Camera, Couscous in which her Algerian mother, who informs so much of her creative work, has the starring role. They are also writing an adaptation of Hedda Gabler, in pre-production for 1961, and awaiting final funding on their next solo show, No Word for Lesbian in Arabic.

Black and white photo of Roann Hassani McCloskey sitting backwards on chair with their head in hands laughing and closing their eyes

Black and white photo of Roann Hassani McCloskey wears big hoop earrings and a black shirt with hood over their head that has embroidering down the front. they are smiling at the camera knowingly and warmly

Other writing credits and commissions include Home (Ithra, 2026), Home (Grand Junction, 2025), Last Thursday Club (2021-2025), Whoops (2023), Alice and her Forty Elephants (2022), Skeleton Productions (2022), Dardishi Zine (2021, 2020), and NewsRevue (Canal Café Theatre, 2017, 2018, 2020).