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Welcome to the website of the actress and activist Nadira Janikova.
Here
you will find some information about Nadira and her latest projects.
Click
on the links to access all you need to know about her.
Medea (Theatre)
Nadira Janikova has recently finished playing the title role in MEDEA, a
modern retelling of Eurypides's classic story of betrayal and
infanticide by Orange award winning writer Stella Duffy. Directed by
Sarah Chew, for the Fraser Cannon productions, at the Edinburgh Fringe,
Assembly George Square. The play ran for four weeks.
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Murder In Samarkand (BBC Radio 4)
Nadira Janikova played alongside David Tennant, Jemima Rooper, Lia
Williams in David Hare's Radio play 'Murder In Samarkand'. Directed by
Clive Brill, produced by Greenpoint Productions and broadcast on BBC
Radio 4. It gained second prize in the Sony Radio Awards 2011. Murder
In Samarkand is based on the book written by Craig Murray about the
conflicts between conscience and official duty which he encountered as
British Ambassador to Uzbekistan in dealing with injustice and human
rights abuse in the context of the "War on terror".
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The Vagina Monologues (Theatre)
Nadira on Vagina Monologues for V-Day
West End Charity Performance In Aid Of V-Day, The Global Movement To End Violence Against Women And Girls.
The
message of The Vagina Monologues is that we as women are not victims,
and we shall not be victims of our past - we are powerful and very
strong in every way. There’s a way you can help too – if you come to see
the show, you will be contributing to some great causes. The charities
that will benefit from the shows are tackling a number of important
issues including sex trafficking, rape, and domestic violence - but this
isn’t all about charity, it’s also about seeing some thought provoking,
entertaining theatre too.
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The British Ambassador's Belly Dancer (Theatre)
How does an individual survive the violence, grinding poverty and
systematic abuses of Central Asia? The incredible but true story of
Nadira's life is a testimony to the human spirit and the sheer will to
survive. This is the story of thousands of women like her.
The title of The British Ambassador's Belly Dancer is ironic - the
purpose of the play is to tell Nadira Janikova's story and make crystal
clear that she is much more than somebody's spouse. She does not see
herself as a victim, but as a survivor and an achiever. In parts
extremely moving, throughout Nadira Janikova makes plain that these
experiences - including multiple acts of sexual abuse by the police -
are common experiences of her contemporaries. But the pathos is
continually pierced by flashes of wit and a determination to find joy in
the most trying of circumstances.
It also challenges cosy liberal assumptions - Nadira Janikova's
unabashed use of sexuality as part of her survival toolkit sits
uncomfortably with Western feminist perspectives. Nadira calls it 'a
feminist play in a feminine way'. A play that, moving from the hilarious
to the tragic with unnerving speed, repeatedly challenges our
assumptions.
This was written by Nadira herself with Alan Hescott directed by Thomas
Hescott. The play was sold out at the Arcola Theatre for the whole four
weeks and successfully transferred to the west end Arts Theatre and ran
for three more weeks. The play was also successfully produced at the
Ipswich and Edinburgh Fringe festivals.
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