Maimuna Enya Memon (born 1992) is a British actress, singer, composer and playwright. She won a Laurence Olivier Award for her performance in the musical Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, having previously been nominated for her role in Standing at the Sky's Edge.
Early life Memon was born in Preston, Lancashire, to an Irish mother and a Pakistani father and spent her early childhood in Darwen. As a teen, her family moved to Australia, where they settled in Chuwar, a suburb of Ipswich near Brisbane. Upon returning to England at the age of 18, Memon studied at the Oxford School of Drama, graduating in 2015.
Career Upon graduating from drama school, Memon made her professional stage debut as Florinda in the Manchester Royal Exchange production of Into the Woods. The following year, she made her television debut in an episode of the BBC One medical soap opera Doctors, and appeared in The Busker's Opera at the Park Theatre and Lazarus at King's Cross Theatre.
In 2017, Memon played Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre. She wrote the music and lyrics for, and performed in, James Meteyard's Electrolyte in 2019.
Memon originated the role of Nikki in Richard Hawley's musical Standing at the Sky's Edge, which premiered in 2019 at the Sheffield Crucible. Memon reprised her role when the musical returned to Sheffield in 2022, and in 2023 at the National Theatre in London. For her performance, she was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical.
Memon began releasing music in 2022, beginning with the singles "First Born Child" and "Calling". Her one-woman play Manic Street Creature premiered at the 2022 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where it won a Fringe First Award, before having a London run at Southwark Playhouse in 2023. A new version of Memon's play will be performed in London at Kiln Theatre in 2026. She also composed a score for Henry VIII at Shakespeare's Globe and, as of 2023, was in the midst of composing a score for Portia Coughlan.
In 2024, she portrayed Sonya in the London premiere of Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 at Donmar Warehouse from December until February 2025. Memon received widespread acclaim for her performance, which earned her the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical.
Discography EPs More Than I Bargained For (2023)
Singles "First Born Child" (2022) "Calling" (2022) "Sinner" (2023) "Insomnia" (2024) "Selling" (2023)
Filmography Year Title Role Notes 2016 Doctors PC Kelsey Phillips Episode: "Grey Area" 2018 Unforgotten Officer 1 episode Lazarus Teenage Girl 1 Film 2022 Sherwood Anoushka Aram 1 episode 2023 Time Tahani 1 episode 2024 Domino Day Verdita Series regular; 5 episodes 2025 Brides Hanan Film 2026 Patience Vanessa Fitzpatrick Episode: "Music in the Minster"
Stage Year Title Role Notes 2015 Into the Woods Florinda Royal Exchange, Manchester 2016 The Busker's Opera Jenny Diver Park Theatre, London 2016–2017 Lazarus Teenage Girl King's Cross Theatre, London 2017 Winnie and Wilbur Various Birmingham Repertory Theatre Jesus Christ Superstar Mary Magdalene Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, London 2018 The Assassination of Katie Hopkins Shayma Theatr Clwyd, Mold 2019 Hobson's Choice Sunita Royal Exchange, Manchester Electrolyte Allie Touch MusicEdinburgh Fringe Festival Ghost Quartet Pearl White/Sheherazade/Soldier/Lady Usher/Camera Shop Owner Boulevard Theatre, London 2019, 2022–2023 Standing at the Sky's Edge Nikki Crucible Theatre, Sheffield / National Theatre, London 2021 The Band Plays On Jess Sheffield Theatres Living Newspaper Edition 6 C Royal Court Theatre, London Nine Lessons and Carols Singer Almeida Theatre, London 2022 Henry VIII MusicGlobe Theatre, London 2022–2023, 2026 Manic Street Creature Ria PlaywrightEdinburgh Fringe Festival / Southwark Playhouse, London / Kiln Theatre, London2024The Grapes of WrathBand vocal, banjo, woman with guitarMusicLyttelton Theatre2024–2025Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812Sonya RostovaDonmar Warehouse2026A Midsummer Night’s DreamMusicRegent's Park Open Air Theatre, London
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result 2020 Offie Performance Ensemble Ghost Quartet 2022 Edinburgh Fringe Festival Fringe First Award Manic Street Creature 2023 Laurence Olivier Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Musical Standing at the Sky's Edge 2025 Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Notes
References
External links
Maimuna Memon at Spotlight