Mwansa Phiri is a London-based playwright whose work has caught the eye for its vivid storytelling and emotionally compelling narratives.

Her highly-anticipated project ‘waiting for a train at the bus stop’ – which is set to showcase at the historic Edinburgh International Fringe Festival – will be her most ambitious yet.

We sat down with the Londoner to discuss the play’s themes of resilience and womanhood, as well as tapping into her rich heritage of Zambian storytelling culture.

Please introduce yourself …

I’m Mwansa. I am a poet, playwright, director, and producer. Your typical multi-hyphenate creative.

What are you working on now?

So at the moment, my main focus is making my Edinburgh Fringe Festival debut with ‘waiting for a train at the bus stop.’ However, I have some really exciting projects lined up for when I get back including a choose-your-own-adventure rap musical that I am developing as part of a residency with artsdepot. I’m also on Stage One’s Bridge The Gap producing programme, which I’m really looking forward to. Going to make use of all the helpful producing tips I’m learning on my EdFringe journey.

Congratulations. How does it feel to have a play being showcased at the historic Edinburgh Fringe Festival?

Thank you. It feels surreal honestly. This is one of the most ambitious projects I’ve done professionally and creatively. Making my debut with this play in particular, feels really special because the story is so important to me and one I’m keen to share with as many people as possible. Where else to do that, if not Edinburgh Fringe? Also, the support I’ve received has been amazing from the Eclipse Award, to the Keep It Fringe Fund Award, as well as being part of Soho Theatre Edinburgh Labs. It’s felt great to have that support and be a part of these communities of people taking their shows to EdFringe before all heading up there this summer.

There are some who would argue that stories that spotlighting the trauma of Black women may be overrepresented in the film space. How does ‘waiting for a train at the bus stop’ offer a fresh viewpoint?

I think it’s a fair concern. When there is so little representation of Black women in film or theatre, it is disheartening when what is represented seems to always be portrayals of pain and trauma. I don’t think the answer is to stop telling these stories though, because unfortunately these are experiences and challenges that Black women face daily, and we need to give space for that. It would be wonderful, to eventually see as much diversity as possible in the stories that are told and the portrayals that we see.

I also think it’s possible for a story to feature or contain trauma without it being the only focus. The Color Purple is also, and arguably primarily, a story about Black sisterhood. Precious is a story about survival. Trauma is not the only thing these stories are about. Similarly, in waiting for a train at the bus stop, the abuse Chili experiences is one part of a multi-faceted and complex story of her life. She isn’t defined by it, and neither is the play.

Historically, Black creatives have had their creative freedom handicapped by not owning the rights to their work. Did any of this factor into founding your own creative imprint Visual Sauce?

I love that question. I am so inspired by Black creatives who have been intentional about maintaining their creative freedom, while carving out a space for themselves within the industry. I have a really clear idea about the type of work that I want to create. I knew that whether I was producing my own work or the work of others, there’s a certain connecting thread that I want to exist across my body of work. This is really centred on exploring the power of storytelling for social change. Visual Sauce is a way for me to be intentional and strategic about doing that.

Please could you speak to the insight you gained from attending training delivered by the domestic violence Sistah Space?

Sistah Space is such an amazing organisation doing essential and incredible work. I reached out to them quite early in the development of this project and they invited me to attend a Cultural Competency Training workshop they were delivering. I attended a few months before my first R+D and the training really helped me on my journey to thinking about character and story development. One thing that really stood out to me was the different types of abuse, how closely linked they are, and how significantly misunderstood they can be.

Following this training, I made the decision that the play would focus on coercive control. It’s really troubling to see how much abusive behaviours are being normalised within modern dating culture. The training from Sistah Space was key in developing my understanding around this, and highlighting the fact that too many people don’t know what a healthy relationship looks like.

I intentionally wanted to engage with them early on in the writing process because this is such a sensitive and important topic. I wanted to make sure I was telling this story with the care, knowledge and consideration it deserves.

Outside of your play’s serious subject matter, its most resonate themes is humour. Why did you, and how were you able to interweave this into your play without diluting the important topics of trauma and domestic violence?

It’s so important to talk about and explore difficult themes. I think it’s most impactful when done in a way that allows room for levity and nuance. Linking back to my earlier answer on the portrayal of Black women in theatre and film, it’s important that these stories and these characters are multifaceted.

This play aims to be a reflection of life, which is punctuated with both good and bad. Abuse causes fundamental personality changes in people, and people who have been abused tend to become more serious and subdued. I was intentional about weaving humour into waiting for a train at the bus stop because I wanted to portray how Chilufya changes as a result of her experiences. How does this bright, funny, energetic and engaging woman become someone completely unrecognisable? We have to see Chilufya’s light, to see how it is dimmed. We have to feel that sense of loss.

Why did you choose to go down the one woman play route instead of showing both parties?

This is something I thought about a lot. I kept going back and forth with myself over it. It even reached a point where I had spoken with and cast an actor to play the role of Paul. As I continued to develop the story though, it became really important for Chilufya to be not just the central character but the only character. It’s very much her story, and an exploration of her experiences, through her point of view.

I think additional characters would have diluted the impact of that. I also think there’s something really powerful about having Paul’s character be so present in the play without ever actually appearing. A reflection of how he is able to exert control over her without even being there. I also really like one woman shows.

Why was it necessary for you to include elements of your culture in waiting for a train at the bus stop?

My Zambian heritage has really shaped my love for storytelling. It’s such an integral part of our culture, and a lot of wisdom, knowledge, lessons, family history, everything basically is communicated through stories. My mum often tells me about ichibwanse – a traditional gathering of women where they meet to discuss different issues and teachings through folklore and proverbs. It’s a way to share wisdom and culture (for men, it’s called insaka).

Orality is a really big part of not just Zambian culture but a lot of African cultures and when I was thinking about the context Chilufya’s character would grow up in, I knew this had to be integrated into the play in some way. Our upbringing and the cultural influences we have as children significantly shape who we grow up to be, how we relate to other people, and how we understand the world. This play explores both the positives and negatives of that. It also looks at what it feels like to try and connect with a culture and a language you’re one or two generations removed from, and the sense of loss this can bring. I think that can be a really common experience for people growing up in the diaspora, and Chilufya’s character definitely feels this.

One of your earlier works ‘Talking Stages’ also centred around dating and courtship. What is it about romance stories that speak to you?

I love, love. I love thinking about it, writing about it, talking about it. I love watching it. There’s something really powerful and compelling about the human desire for love and connection and how it shapes our life experiences and choices. There is so much around that to write about. It’s likely to be an aspect I will always explore in the stories I write. Regardless of genre.

GETTING TO KNOW YOU 

What’s your current plan B? (if it all goes wrong what’s the plan?)

I wouldn’t say I have one. Writing, storytelling, creativity, these will always be a part of my life in some way.

What’s made you Sad, Mad, Glad this week

Sad, I’ve been pretty happy this week. Mad, long queues at Costco. Glad, meeting new people and making new friends.

What are you watching right now?

I’m halfway through the new season of Black Mirror and I’m so glad it’s back.

What are you reading right now?

Loop by Brenda Lozano. I love a love story.

What are you listening to right now? 

I’m a Mess by Omah Lay. On repeat. Everyday.

The last thing you saw on stage? 

My Uncle Is Not Pablo Escobar at Brixton House, which was amazing.

Celebrate someone else …

Matilda Feyisayo Ibini, I love their writing.

Celebrate yourself …

I’ve always wanted to take a show to EdFringe and I can’t wait to make my debut with waiting for a train at the bus stop this summer.

Whose footsteps are you following in?

I believe everyone follows their own path, while being inspired by the journey of others. For waiting for a train at the bus stop a big inspiration for me was Bene Lombe’s one woman play Lava.

What’s Next? 

I’m about to start an artist residency at artsdepot to develop a new musical theatre project, and I’ll also be joining Stage One’s Bridge the Gap Producer Programme. Very excited for both.

When and where can we see waiting for a train at a bus stop?

You can see waiting for a train at the bus stop at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival between Wednesday 2nd August – Sunday 27th August (not 14th or 21st) 14:50 (60mins) Summerhall.

In a year when Beyoncé embarked on a record-breaking world tour …

Britain crowned its first new monarch in 70 years and Rihanna emerged from her pseudo-retirement to headline the Super Bowl, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse ranked as the most highly-anticipated event of the year and it wasn’t even close.

It would be easy to point the fingers of blame for these lofty expectations at the Sony marketing machine, but in actual fact, the blame lies at Spidey’s own doorstep. 2018’s Into the Spider-Verse was a genre bending, world-colliding game changer that has come to redefine animation as we know it. Across the Spider-Verse doubles down on the same visual flair and bets big on the irresistible charm of its leading man Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), and oh what a pay off.

It’s been a year since our favourite web-slinger (sorry Tom Holland) took on the mantle of becoming New York’s sole saviour. How’s he handling the pressure, you ask? To be honest, quite well. Prime time TV hosting gigs, legions of adoring fans and of course, the obligatory regrettable brand endorsement – think Kim Kardashian’s campaign for Charmin toilet paper. But what value does being there for the world hold when you can’t be there for the ones you love the most? Confronting this strenuous reality has proved to be our protagonist’s most challenging foe; often rearing its ugly head to scupper Miles’ attempts to build an honest relationship with his loving parents.

Even across a multiverse of endless spider-people, being Spider-Man is a lonely existence. It just so happens that Gwen Stacey (Hailee Steinfeld) AKA Spider-Gwen – the only person he can truly relate to – lives in another dimension and she doesn’t have the answers either. Not only is she distant from her father, he’s actively in pursuit of her for the alleged murder of her best friend. Naturally, this leaves the young crime fighter with no choice but to run away from home and join a collective of inter-dimensional spider-people. Gwen’s Earth-65 makes for one of the film’s most compelling artistic highlights, with the colour palette of each frame ebbing and flowing at will to reflect her crumbling emotional state. it’s the immersive water paint experience that you never knew you needed but won’t forget.

The two kindred spirits are brought together once more when Gwen sets aside a day to go web-slinging through the bustling streets of Brooklyn. Their endearing will-they-won’t-they love story is easy to root for, even though Gwen’s multi-versal exploits have left her convinced that any attempts at romance would be destined for failure. This willingness (or lack thereof) to accept tragedy as an inevitable part of every Spider-person’s journey forms the intriguing base of the film’s core tension (undoubtedly taking its cue from director Kemp Powers’ work on Disney Pixar’s Soul).

While the likes of Venom, Kingpin and Green Goblin have been etched into Spider-Man villainy lore, The Spot (Jason Schwartzman) makes for a peculiar choice of adversary. Upon first meeting, he’s clumsy, insecure and offers about as much menace as a paper airplane in the rain, but quickly escalates to an existential threat capable of tearing apart the whole multiverse. Whereas Marvel has seemingly used the multiverse as a convenient plot device to reset the status quo and protect its more lucrative superheroes, the writing trio of Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Dave Callaham refreshingly use the same premise to up the stakes and pull infinite worlds into a web of total annihilation.

Late creator Stan Lee’s wish that ‘any kid could imagine they’re Spider-Man’ is realised more so than ever before. We have Daniel Kaluuya’s comically woke Spider-Punk, Issa Rae’s badass pregnant Spider-Woman variant Jessica Drew and a perfectly chiselled Indian Spider-Man (Karan Soni), each providing their own brand of whitty one-liners (including a hilarious observation about the West’s consumption of ‘Chai Tea’). With that being said, composer Daniel Pemberton’s score is every bit as impactful as any of the film’s many memorable characters. Music isn’t only complimentary to the film’s narrative, it dictates it; effortlessly tapping into everything from smooth 90s Hip Hop to abrasive electronic synths to bring each world to life.

Unapologetically heavy-handed with its stylistic approach, Across the Spider-Verse is a beautifully crafted love letter to every era of Spider-Man’s meaningful history. But for all of its sublime visual acrobatics, it’s the emotional authenticity of its characters and sincerity of its storytelling that will keep us all hanging off a cliff with Spidey until his return for 2024’s Beyond the Spider-Verse.

Spider Man: Across The Spider-Verse is in cinemas now!

Unlike most industries, the longevity of a film franchise or boxing career is far from an accurate measure of its quality.

In many cases, it’s the opposite. This usually comes in the form of a recognisable name being propped up by past glories, characterised by a tendency to only re-emerge when a big payday is on the horizon. While this is true of some of the Rocky franchise’s later entries, Michael B. Jordan’s ‘Creed III’ successfully manages to bob and weave it’s way through these pitfalls.

If Ryan Coogler’s original was a deep dive into the past of Apollo Creed’s (Carl Weathers) past, Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut is an emotionally fulfilling page from the same playbook. Set against the backdrop of Dr Dre’s 1999 classic The Watcher, a richly-textured LA flashback introduces us to a young Adonis “Donny” playing pseudo-corner man for his brother in arms – prodigious boxing talent Damian “Dame” Anderson’ (Jonathan Majors). However, an unfortunate incident sees their journeys splinter off into different paths, with Dame drawing the short end of the stick.

Like a tumbleweed in the wind, Dame unceremoniously reappears, perched against Adonis’ Rolls Royce with a quiet sense of entitlement, a subtle, yet telling indication of what’s to come. After an uncomfortable exchange of pleasantries that can only be likened to meeting your girlfriend’s dad for the first time, the two sit down at a local diner for a catch-up, where it quickly becomes apparent that their differences far outweigh their similarities.

With his rebel spirit now pacified by family and success, retired champion-turned-promoter Adonis is unrecognisable from the loner audiences were introduced to in the franchise’s first instalment. Testament to Jordan’s directorial eye, the world around Adonis has never looked so warm or fleshed-out. This craftsmanship regularly offers up the film’s most heartfelt moments in the shape of Adonis’ marriage with Bianca (Tessa Thompson) and the normalised use of sign language to parent their daughter Amara (Mila Davis-Kent). Contrastingly, the intervening years have not been so kind to Dame. The solitude of life behind bars have left him feral and with nothing to call his own, except a burning desire to become the heavyweight champion – a goal that Adonis feels obliged to help him reach.

Jonathan Majors is a star turn as the musclebound manifestation of survivor’s guilt, stealing scenes at will with irrestable magnetism whilst looking every bit as imperious as Mike Tyson in ‘88. Despite being the first Rocky-less Rocky film, it manages to summon the same palpable tension (perhaps drawn out for too long), before the eventual showdown between Adonis and Dame.

In the past it has been easy to root against Adonis’ adversaries, but Creed III does an excellent job of making the decision less clear cut. Far from a redemption story, Dame’s is a brutal course correction. As he makes clear early on, he’s ‘not looking for a handout’, he wants the life that Adonis stole from him. And who can blame him?

After nearly 50 years – and a tale of the tape consisting of fights against Mr T and Hulk Hogan – there aren’t many punches left that the Rocky-franchise hasn’t thrown yet. Refreshingly, Jordan’s gutsy spin-off manages to string together an impressive anime-infused combination of heart and revitalised ring action, proving this fighter’s still got more rounds in him yet.

Creed III is in cinemas Friday 3rd March

As we all continue to enjoy the holiday festivities here are our Top Ten Christmas Films to enjoy this year and in years to come …

Merry Christmas Family

The Preacher’s Wife (1996)
The Preacher’s Wife came out in 1996 and I’ve found no film to be more reminiscent of my childhood. Over the years its become a staple whilst decorating the Christmas tree and it always gets me in the Christmas spirit. The film features a star cast of Black Hollywood royalty such as Denzel Washington, Courtney B. Vance, Loretta Devine, Jenifer Lewis, Lionel Ritchie and of course the late, great Whitney Houston.

So what’s it about?
Henry Biggs (Courtney B. Vance) feels as if he has the world on his shoulders. He is spread thin as the pastor of St Matthews Baptist Church. As he struggles to support members of his congregation and keep the church afloat from impending closure, he is missing important dates with his son and his marriage to Julia Biggs (Whitney Houston) is slowly crumbling. He needs a Christmas miracle and gets one in the form of personal angel, Dudley (Denzel Washington). With Houston lending her vocals to the film, The Preacher’s Wife also boasts an outstanding soundtrack which still stands as the best-selling gospel album of all time.

This Christmas (2007)
A Star-studded ensemble cast of Idris Elba, Delroy Lindo, Regina King, Sharon Leal, Loretta Devine, Chris Brown, Columbus Short, Laz Alonzo and Lauren London come together in this popular festive film that features all the shenanigans that you expect from your typical sibling reunion. It’s a gift of petty jokes, bickering, genuine love and Christmas cheer wrapped up in secrets that threaten to ruin the holidays and alter each of their futures. Regina King’s baby oil scene is a favourite that lives rent-free in my head.

So what’s it about?
This Christmas the Whitfield siblings have come back home for the Christmas holiday leaving their mother, Ma’dere Whitfield (Loretta Devine) elated to have all six of her kids together for the first time in four years. On the surface, everyone seems happy but most of the family including the mother are harbouring secrets that reveal there’s more to their lives than meets the eye. With a combination of faith, food, and family This Christmas is heartwarming, romantic, funny, and sure to get you in the Christmas spirit. Chris Brown also covers the title track originally by Donny Hathaway which is a great addition to the film’s R&b soundtrack.

Black Nativity (2013)
Forest Whitaker, Angela Bassett, Jennifer Hudson, Jacob Latimore, Tyrese Gibson, Mary J. Blige and Nas star in this updated musical adaptation of the Nativity story originally written and staged by famed poet and playwright Langston Hughes. The musical is more theatrical than cinematic in its approach and a definite tribute to Hughes with his quotes and poetry sprinkled throughout. Langston’s dream sequence of the Nativity story is enchanting in its dual blend of fantasy and reality and has to be my favourite scene. It’s extra performative and topped off with the vocals of Jennifer Hudson, Jacob Latimore, Forest Whitaker, Mary J Blige, Luke James and Grace Gibson.

So what’s it about?
Langston (Jacob Latimore) has been raised by his single mother Naima in Baltimore, but when she finds herself financially out of her depth and on the brink of eviction she sends him to stay with his estranged grandparents in Harlem over the Christmas period. Whilst Langston is there the plot unravels and he eventually learns the truth behind the rift that divided his mother and grandparents. There’s a lot of hurtful history to unpack but during the season of giving, they find ways to offer forgiveness and find redemption.

Last Holiday (2006)
Queen Latifah and LL COOL J head this hybrid of a rom-com and Christmas film. Set over the festive period, Last Holiday is a reminder of what can happen if we dare to lean into possibilities and take control of our lives. It’s an uplifting tale of positivity and I will always applaud scenes that showcase a black woman indulging in luxury.

So what’s it about?
Georgia (Queen Latifah) is working as a sales clerk in a job where she is undervalued and unappreciated. She dreams of being a chef and opening her own restaurant and also harbours a huge crush on her work colleague and dream husband Sean (LL Cool J). She even has a personal vision scrapbook where she keeps her dreams chronicled as “possibilities”. When a work mishap occurs, Georgia is checked over by a doctor but instead of the all-clear, she is given the devastating news of a terminal illness. After initially wallowing in her sorrows, Georgia decides to live the rest of her life to the maximum. Using her life savings she flies to a European hotel where she indulges in every luxury available for what she thinks will be her last holiday.

Almost Christmas (2016)
Danny Glover, Mo’nique, Gabrielle Union, Kimberly Elise, Omar Epps and Romany Malco are cast in this tale of love, loss, and the beauty that transpires when the family fight for, instead of against each other. My favourite scene is the Christmas Dinner where a few Christmas bombs go off around the dinner table as well as an actual shotgun.

So what’s it about?
There are five days till Christmas and Walter Meyer (Danny Glover) is just hoping to get through them so that the Meyer family can have a traditional Christmas Dinner the way his late wife would have loved. He knows this won’t come easy as it’s been a year since her passing and each of them are still grieving the loss. To top it off he can’t find his wife’s tin of recipes to make her signature sweet potato pie, his daughters are constantly at each other’s throats, his son has a secret betrayal and he might just have one of his own.

Boxing Day (2021)
Aml Ameen directs and stars, playing a successful, Hollywood-based novelist returning home to visit his extended British Caribbean family in London for Christmas with his American fiancee, Lisa (a likeable Aja Naomi King), in tow.

After spending years Stateside away from his family, British author Melvin (Aml Ameen) brings his American fiancée Lisa (Aja Naomi King) back home for Christmas to meet his relatives for the first time. A run-in with his ex-girlfriend Georgia (Leigh-Anne Pinnock), along with some family drama, puts his new relationship to the test.

A Naija Christmas (2021)
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more charming, stylish or competitive family than A Naija Christmas’s fabulous foursome of Kunle Remi, Efa Iwara, Abayomi Alvin and Rachel Oniga. Sprinkled with a heavy-handed helping of Nigerian flair, this Netflix Original pulls on all of the heartstrings and gifts one of the last performances from the late, great Nollywood star Rachel Oniga.

So what’s it about
Fulfilling a mother’s wishes is a responsibility that falls at the feet of all sons, but this time around the reward isn’t just a mother’s smile, it’s the keys to her luxurious home. Uncomfortable with the reality that she is yet to have a grandchild or daughter-in-law, Mama (Rachel Oniga) tasks her three sons Ugo (Kunle Remi), Obi (Efa Iwara) and Chike (Abayomi) with finding a suitable wife to present to her on Christmas Day. Despite its simple premise, the film manages to expertly bring issues of class, faith and gender to the forefront in a way that’s likely to spark some compelling conversations when the end credits roll.

The Best Man Holiday (2013)
Nia Long, Morris Chesnut, Sanaa Lathan, Taye Diggs, Regina Hall, Terrance Howard… Is there a film with a more likeable cast? I’ll help you out here, the answer is a resounding “hell nawww!”. Set 14 years after the original, The Best Man Holiday brings together all of our favourite stars for a festive tearjerker. Complete with a smooth RnB soundtrack for the ages, Black love never looked or sounded this good!

So what’s it about?
Reprising their roles from the original The Best Man (1999), the group of old college friends reunite after 15 years over the Christmas holidays and quickly discover just how easy it is for long-forgotten rivalries to be reignited. When the two most affluent members of the group—pro football player Lance (Morris Chestnut) and his wife, Mia (Monica Calhoun)—decide to invite the gang for a reunion over the Christmas holidays, friendships and marriages are tested as new crises arise.

Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas (2013)
There’s no Christmas like a Madea Christmas. Without a doubt, Tyler Perry’s most memorable alter-ego Madea, has appeared in over 10 movies but this one is probably the most beloved. ‘Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas’ is the sparkling, typically quirky ornament on perched on top of an incredible career.

So what’s it about?
Madea (Tyler Perry) tags along with her niece, Eileen (Anna Maria Horsford), on a trip to the small town of Buck Tussel with the intention of surprising Eileen’s daughter, Lacey (Tika Sumpter) who had decided that she wouldn’t be venturing home for Christmas this year. We soon find out that her reasoning for not coming home runs far deeper than a case of travel anxiety, but as usual, nothing sneaks past Madea! Absurd laughs and more than a fair share of chaos culminate in a Christmas that none of us will forget.

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020)
A visual spectacle for the ages, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey isn’t just a Black Christmas movie, it’s THAT Christmas movie. Glamorous costumes, outstanding attention to detail, marvellous set designs and a soundtrack so warm and cosy that you’ll forget about your cup of hot chocolate. Jingle Jangle bridges the divide between our legends Forrest Whittaker, Phylicia Rashad and brightest starlets Madalen Mills and Kieron L. Dyer.

So what’s it about?
After being betrayed by his trusted apprentice Guftofson (Keegan-Michael Key), the world’s greatest toymaker Jeronicus Jangle (Forest Whitaker) has lost his spark and is in a state of eternal gloom. That is until his curious granddaughter (Madalen Mills) reignites his creative fire to be great once more.

David Ajayi is an actor and writer whose latest work, His Sickled Journey has garnered praise from fans and critics alike for bringing the Sickle Cell condition to the forefront.

The NHS Blood & Transplant backed project is a masterful example of how humour and romance can be used to raise awareness about serious issues like blood donation in the Black community.

We sat down with David to discuss the inspiration behind His Sickled Journey and using his art to dismantle stigmas and stereotypes.

Please introduce yourself …

My name is David Ajayi, a South London-based writer/performer, and proud Yoruba boy! I’m in a writing partnership with writer/director Phil Ossai (originally from South London, now in Kent, Igbo heritage). We call ourselves the Romcom Guys, because of our love for the genre and the type of stories we’re hoping to tell in film and TV.

I trained at the Identity school of acting for two years, and now I’m out here trying to do the thing full-time, by the grace of God! Among other things, I’m also a presenter and producer, but acting is always my first love.

Describe your life right now in a word or one sentence …

My life right now is building, by His grace.

Tell us about your latest project …

My latest project is His Sickled Journey, a romantic comedy that hopes to shine a light on sickle cell. I play the lead role of Femi, and I wrote it with Phil Ossai, the film’s director. The film was produced by Room 113, a faith-based lifestyle platform founded by Tobi Olowu. Finally, we had the inspiration and support from our dear friend Tito Oye, whose experience with sickle cell in her blog Her Sickled Journey inspired the film. We’re very proud of this film and are blown away by the feedback. It’s currently part of the BAFTA Qualifying British Urban Film Festival.

Currently, Phil and I have created some new romcom shorts, just to show our stuff a little bit more. I’m also currently playing my first leading role in a feature film, the indie drama Spectrum, directed by Jonell Rowe.

Your film His Sickled Journey touches on the effects of sickle cell within the dynamic of a romantic relationship. Why did you choose to discuss the condition in this context rather than focus on it in isolation?

For Phil and I as the Romcom guys, relationships are often our way into a story. We believe that both comedy and romance are great ways to draw an audience in and connect them to deeper themes while keeping things feeling good and fun. Particularly in the case of sickle cell, we could explore the importance of the genotype conversation in a way that felt natural to the story.

Despite predominately impacting the Black community, sickle cell is rarely discussed on mainstream platforms. Was tackling this stigma part of the motivation behind writing His Sickled Journey?

Absolutely, particularly the issue of knowing one’s genotype. It’s a key conversation to have, yet, it still feels so taboo. We also wanted to destigmatise needle fear, hoping to encourage more black blood donors to sign up.

Much of the dialogue in the film centres around discovering your character Femi learning information about sickle cell and blood donation. How did you approach researching this information before writing the script?

Phil and I used Tito Oye’s blog as the main source for subjects to explore in the film. She has articles about knowing your genotype, experiencing a crisis, giving blood and more. It was a great resource, and because she writes in such a personal, informal way, it really helped to translate those articles into the script. We also spoke to the NHS Blood and Transplant team to learn about the ins and outs of blood donation.

Sickle cell is a very serious topic, but the film managed to strike the perfect balance between being informative and funny. How conscious were you of making sure that the jokes didn’t drown out the film’s core message?

Thank you so much! That balance was definitely very key – Phil and I love a joke, but we knew there was something more at play. I think it was best shown by Femi’s dynamic with his roommates (played by Stacey Ampiah- Roberts and Tevin Deola). Tevin’s more comedic character was balanced by Stacey’s more composed one, allowing jokes to fly without missing the key information about what sickle cell actually is (we hope!). Tito consulting on our script helped make sure we were never making light of the condition. Phil was intentional in reducing the number of jokes towards the end of the film, to not take away from the seriousness of the matter. Then by the end, we brought them right back for our happily ever after (that’s not a spoiler, it’s a romcom!).

One of the standout elements of the film is that it humanises Chanice (Vivienne Isebor) beyond her condition and showcases her sense of humour and hobbies. Why is it important to make her character so well-rounded?

That is very encouraging to hear, thank you. That was definitely the intention, and Vivienne played it wonderfully! The character Chanice is inspired by Tito Oye, so it was essential to making her feel real. Tito is one of the most courageous, inspiring people we know, so we had great source material for the character! One of the many critiques of the romcom genre in recent years is 1-dimensional characters. That’s something Phil and I hoped to avoid. If the characters feel real, it only does more to connect the audience to what’s going on with them. It allows the audience to be in Femi’s shoes and truly wants to understand what Chanice is going through.

Notably, you were able to secure the support of the NHS Blood & Transplant for film, how did this relationship come about?

Our first link came through Tito, who had a connection with them. That connection put us in touch with the right people; Colin Anderson, Calvin Campbell and Aleisha Foreman, who loved our idea and fully supported us. They particularly wanted to help destigmatise needle fear, noting it as a big barrier for black donors. They helped us run an actual blood drive on our last shoot day, and we were able to get in some first-time black blood donors in the background of some of our shots – which was amazing!

What’s your current plan B? (if it all goes wrong what’s the plan?)

I actually don’t like to consider a plan B … I don’t know. It’s a scary thought. But what my faith leads me to say, is that as long as it’s God’s will, it was always plan A.

What’s made you Sad, Mad, Glad this week …

Sad – I can be hard on myself, so when it feels like I’m not being productive it makes me sad.

Mad – Some of my friends not giving Black Panther 2 its much-deserved 10/10 ranking.

Glad – Besides the honour of this interview, is my family as always. A constant source of joy.

What are you watching right now?

I just started Life & Beth on Disney+. Phil and I are hoping to get our dramedy TV show off the ground, so we’re watching as many examples as we can. I’d definitely recommend it – great watch so far!

What are you reading right now?

It’s all Romcoms! Right now, I’m reading Get a Life Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert – loving it so far. I just finished Honey & Spice by Bolu Babalola too. I love everything about her and her writing.

What are you listening to right now?

Big up British R&B! Shae Universe – Unorthodox, Bellah – Adultsville. Bangers.

Also, I love my Gospel music. There’s always some Kirk Franklin or Fred Hammond playing somewhere.

The last thing you saw on stage?

My older brother took me to see Hamilton and oh my days. Incredible.

What’s on your bucket list?

As an actor, someone tell Sir Richard Curtis we’ve got a romcom to make.

In life … I don’t know, I’ll probably skydive at some point. Because Will Smith did it. Also meeting (working with) Will Smith.

Celebrate someone else (who do you rate right now?)

So many people. But keeping in theme, let me big up all those putting beautiful black love on my screen; I hope to join them soon! Aml Ameen with Boxing Day, Nathan Bryon & Rane Miller with Rye Lane (coming soon!), Adjani Salmon (that Bus scene in the Dreaming Whilst Black Pilot was perfection), Bolu Babalola’s Big Age on Channel 4, Sam Boyd with Love Life Season 2… so many!!

Celebrate yourself … (make us proud of you)

Sometimes I forget, but I am blessed to be having a good year. I presented at the BBC Proms, got my first TV role ever in an episode of EastEnders and followed it up with a small role in a new Netflix show coming next year. Also, Phil and I have been cooking and can’t wait to show the world these TV pilots we’ve got coming!

Where can we find you / watch His Sickled Journey?

You can find me on Instagram! Follow me @davidajayi_

We were glad to release His Sickled Journey on Fully Focused’s MYM YouTube channel – available now so please do give it a watch, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Serge Sainte Rose is a Martinique-born composer and pianist heralded for his versatility and vivid storytelling ability …

These unique qualities were on film display during his fittingly titled concert From Britain To The Caribbean And Back.

In this insightful conversation, the composer shared the inspiration behind his latest work, his upbringing in Martinique and the importance of creating safe spaces for Black people to enjoy classical music.

Please introduce yourself…

Hello! I’m a pianist, composer and music producer from Martinique and I’ve been living in London for the last 16 years.

Please share a word or sentence which best describes your life right now?

Full, although less hectic than 2 weeks ago (in the run up to my concert)!

Congratulations on your concert! I had the pleasure of being in the audience and I was captivated by it’s sound and message. I noticed that you were in the audience too. Are you able to fully switch off and enjoy watching your compositions coming to life or do you approach the experience with a more critical eye?

When I watch a concert, I’m usually very critical and I generally find it hard to switch off – even more so with my own music, and especially if it’s being performed for the first time.

One of the standout features of your concert was that it sought to tell the story of the slave trade in it’s entirety (the pain, struggle and liberation), instead of focusing on enslavement and life on the plantation as Hollywood tends to do. Why did you approach the story in this way?

It’s impossible to tell hundreds of years of history in 1 hour 30 minutes of music, but I wanted to say as much as I could in honour of my ancestors. For the audience to appreciate their story, I wanted to include as many different elements as possible: how the slave trade started, the pain, struggle, hope and the fight for freedom. Also, what happened after the abolition of slavery. I wanted the audience to be immersed in the full story.

Throughout the concert there were multiple languages being used for the songs and spoken word pieces (Creole, English, French and Spanish amongst others), which made the overall experience feel full and well rounded. What inspired you to incorporate all of these languages rather than take the easier route of sticking to one?

All the Caribbean Islands share similar histories. The concert tells the story of the Caribbean people, therefore I wanted to include the main languages that are spoken throughout the region, so that all Caribbean people in the audience would feel a connection to their Island and their ancestors.

Classical music and the rhythms and sounds of the Caribbean are not often heard in the same room, but everything meshed together so seamlessly on the night. Did you find that these sounds naturally complemented each other or was it a challenge to achieve the final outcome?

I’m a perfectionist, so it was a real challenge for me to blend styles at the opposite ends of the spectrum. Music is a universal language, but the words within it still need to go together. I really wanted to find a balance, so that it’s neither a classical concert with a bit of Caribbean spice, nor a Caribbean music concert with some classical flavour, but something where both have an equal place.

When you first picked up the flute as a child in your native Martinique, did you ever think that it would take you this far, in terms of travelling the world and being able to financially support yourself?

No. When I started playing flute, I probably wouldn’t have imagined living in London and travelling around the World. However, when I started to consider a career in music, I was very ambitious and certainly wanted to be a successful musician – probably the same as 90% of all musicians!

I’ve heard you say that Michael Jackson is one of your biggest musical influences. Given that he was predominantly known for his vocal abilities and dancing prowess, and you are celebrated for your composition and mastery of instruments, this might catch a few people off-guard. Could you explain the ways in which his style has influenced yours?

I always admired his innovative ideas, passion and attention to detail. As well as his fantastic song writing. Musically, what probably influenced me most were the brilliant hooks, the cutting-edge production, and the countless details found in the music.

Classical music is often portrayed as being elitist and only open to a select few. How were you able to find your place in this space and are you keen to create environments where people from more diverse backgrounds can enjoy classical music too?

I haven’t found my place yet. As a composer, this is the beginning of my journey (career-wise). I am, however, very ambitious! And yes, I am very keen to create environments where people from more diverse backgrounds can enjoy classical music. This is also why I made the concert, to broaden the perception of what classical music is and make it more accessible.

Given all that you have accomplished so far in your career, what’s still left on your musical bucket list?

Having my music played at the Royal Albert Hall and Carnegie Hall!

GETTING TO KNOW YOU …

A book you have to have in your collection?

That’s difficult, there are so many good books! Recently I’ve been re-reading The Name Of The Wind which I really love!

A song/album that defines the soundtrack of your life to date?

Oh, that’s tough. It would have to be a song or album about growing up in the Caribbean, then living in Europe, talking about the struggles and accomplishments etc. I don’t know any song or album about that!

A film / TV show that you can watch/have watched repeatedly?

The Shawshank Redemption.

The first stage production you saw and what it meant to you (play, dance or concert)? I’m not 100% sure, but one of my earliest memories of a theatre production is Carmen. I remember loving it! The music, performances, stage and set etc. It certainly was a great introduction to how music can blend with/support a story and visuals. No wonder why I love films!

What’s made you sad, mad, and glad this week?

I recently got married and my wife is trying to change her surname here, but since Brexit it’s a lot more complicated. In fact, it’s a nightmare! Last night though, I received some of the footage from the concert. It made me really happy to see it again!

What’s your current plan B? (if it all goes wrong what’s the plan?)

I’ve never really had a plan B, as I cannot see myself doing anything other than music. But if everything goes wrong someday, I’ll find a bit of land in the countryside, live a peaceful life and grow vegetables and animals.

Celebrate someone else (who do you rate right now?) –

John Williams.

Celebrate yourself … (make us proud of you)

I’m proud that I managed to organise the concert, dealing with all aspects from hiring the venue, the performers, gear, promotion etc, all whilst composing and orchestrating the music within 10 months. It was a huge challenge!

Where can we find your latest project?

I am currently mixing the music from the recording of the concert and will be releasing a promo video with snippets of the concert soon. It will be available on my website, sergesainterose.com , YouTube and social media. Watch this space!

Serge Saint Rose’s From Britain To The Caribbean And Back played at St John’s Smith Square.

Joseph Toonga is a movement expressionist whose ability to create powerful stories through dance has earned him countless accolades and even more admirers.

The Cameroon-born performer currently holds the title of artistic director (and founder) of Just Us Dance Theatre and will also be choreographing for the Royal Ballet this year as part of its Diamond Celebration.

This year marks the final release of the artist’s groundbreaking performance trilogy on race, identity, and heritage; which began with Born to Manifest and Born to Protest and will be capped off with Born To Exist.

In this captivating conversation, we spoke to Joseph about his upcoming performance piece, going against the grain with his “raw” dance style and the mind-state he needs to enter every performance to be at his best...

Please introduce yourself…

Hi, my name is Joseph Toonga, I was born in Cameroon but I’ve lived most of my life in East London. I’m an East Londoner and I love hip-hop – yeah, that’s me!

Please share a word or sentence which best describes your life right now.

I would say that right now I’m reflective, motivated and I think, willing to take many risks.

Congratulations on your latest release Born to Exist: The Woman I Know! It becomes the third instalment in a trilogy of impactful performances including Born To Manifest and Born To Protest. In what ways did you build on the themes of your previous work?

Thank you, it’s been a journey. Having done Born to Manifest and Born to Protest, Born to Exist definitely feeds from the previous work. Born to Manifest was a reflection of the Black male’s journey within the UK, within the world, and how they are perceived, whilst Born to Protest highlights this in a different space. It was an outdoor work, which introduces a Black female, exploring what that does in the space where we’re around together and how we, as brothers, react around Black females, our mothers, our aunties, whoever. I think, with Born to Exist I am looking at the fact that I am a black man and so I can never really speak on behalf of a Black female, but through the piece, I am looking at my mum’s journey, my aunties’ journey, my friends’ journeys and how I see them. It’s also asking questions about their journeys and the common themes that I go through as a Black man and they go through as a Black female to see what are the common threads that we can explore, what is different about being a Black woman to not being a white woman. So the theme really of Born to Exist is looking at experiences and not trying to say this is our journey, it’s more have a look at our experiences, have a look at different moments in our lives and the different spaces we go into.

The creative choice that will be most apparent to audiences is that Born to Exist: The Woman I Know is a female-focused performance. Are there specific women in your life who inspired this piece or is it more of a broader appreciation of womanhood?

Born to Exist is a female-focused performance, and there are many females that inspire me in my life. I wanted to ensure that the piece was a celebration, but also a reality check where their experiences are seen as being as important as mine and can be heard. I think that is one of the big focuses in the piece, trying to create a platform for others that I know I have, and how I can look to highlight other stories that are unfamiliar. I think that the story and just the presence of a Black woman on stage is a statement in itself. How I explore that energy and space is really important, and focusing on and not being apologetic about the fact that there will be Black females on stage and the majority of the creative team is Black, and celebrating that walking into these spaces, this is what you’re going to encounter. You’re going to encounter these ladies who are powerful, who are resilient, but who are also empathetic.

You’ve described the style of your performances as ‘raw and gritty’ in the past. How have you found that this has been received by audiences who are unfamiliar with this form of artistic expression?

The movement we are looking at is crump, it is hip-hop, and it has been received in a way, where if you’re unfamiliar with the genre, with the movement, with its qualities, sometimes you can mistake it as anger and as aggressive, but if you are familiar you know that it is a form of expression, a different way of expressing our history, our background. But what I have found is that, from the feedback we have received, the majority of audiences have been open and it has been really eye-opening for them. Of course, we also have people who feel like we should be saying more, and that the movement should do this or that, but the movement is what it is. It’s not really about pleasing the audience through movement that is aesthetically pleasing for your eye, it’s actually doing what we feel is needed and is relevant and if that’s crump or if that’s popping or if that’s breaking we will put it there as a form of expression.

When you decided to expand your range as a performer beyond hip-hop and street dance, what drew you towards ballet and contemporary dance? I find this path particularly interesting, given how contrasting these two genres appear to be from the ones you were already mastering.

I think the decision to expand my craft, and my movement language outside of hip-hop comes from what hip-hop is. It’s about culture, it’s about accepting others, it’s about many things, and I think that taught me that there are other influences that I can take, that can make me grow as an artist and make me grow even more as a mover. The transition into exploring contemporary and ballet movement was natural because that is what hip-hop gave me, it gave me the understanding that there are many things you can do, and so do it. That journey was easy, but at the same time, it was hard, because of the physical. Trying to adapt my body, trying to understand ‘ok cool, I move my body like this, but now I need to move like this, so I need to change the way I rehearse, practice, and exercise to make sure that those qualities can sit in my body more’, but I’ve always just had an enjoyment for dance, for the arts, for multilayers that express things that are relevant to my life and to other people around me.

Watching you perform is so powerful. As an audience member, it almost feels like we’re not supposed to be present whilst it’s happening because of how intimate and personal it is. It’s like you’re in a trance-like state and the rest of the world disappears. I assume that you’ve rehearsed/performed the routines hundreds of times but the energy you give off always makes it feel like the first time. What is going through your mind when you are performing?

If I’m honest about performing, I think it’s in the studio space where a lot of the sacrifices happen and where you make sure you create space and have a team that can support you, mentally, physically and spiritually, so that on stage you can give your all. You also have to be aware that you can’t give your whole spirit, your whole soul in every performance because that’s just detrimental to you as a person, and having to live a reality outside of the stage can be hard, so they are techniques I’ve gained over the years. My dramaturg has given me tools so I can be both expressive in my movements but also disconnect from my emotions so that I can think about something else and I can make a conscious choice in what I want to do emotionally and physically so that it feels real at that moment and doesn’t feel planned. I think that sometimes when people say, ‘oh I really felt your show’, it is because I try to make sure that everything I do is planned in terms of movements, but it is in the moment where I make a decision to make it a bit different because today I’m feeling like this. It’s also about listening to my body, understanding where I am physically and emotionally, and where the other performer is, who’s with me on stage.

Beyond entertainment, your performances interweave complex themes such as Black rebellion, joy and the relationship that we have with our communities, the world and ourselves. Did you always see dancing as an outlet for storytelling or was it something that you discovered later down the line?

I have always seen dancing as an outlet for everything that is happening outside. People say I’m political with my work, but I tend to say I’m not, I’m expressing what is going on in the world and what I feel the world is saying to me or to other people. Making choreography is relevant to what has happened to me personally, it’s my journey in life and there has to be a point where I learn to speak more. I think that dance, having that platform, allows me to speak and allows me to push and do things that maybe I’m not allowed to do in public, because, if I rebel in public about something that I think is normal, there are consequences that, being a Black guy, I have to face. I’m not allowed to be a certain way in public, and I’m not allowed to be annoyed or frustrated or passionate about something, because it could be translated as aggressive or threatening, so being able to express this in a theatre allows me the freedom to say ‘okay cool I’m allowed to do this here, but in here I’m going to do this, I’m going to challenge it and I’m going to get in your face, because hopefully, that makes you reflect on that feeling’.

Outside of your own performances, you also hold the prestigious titles of Founder of Just Us Dance Theatre and Emerging Choreographer in Residence at the Royal Ballet. Do you approach choreographing routines differently for other dancers than those for yourself?

Outside of performing, I am an Artistic Director of Just Dance Theatre and an Emerging Choreographer in Residence for the Royal Ballet and for me, those are two different hats. Just Us is more about me being an Artistic Director and less about being a creative choreographer, it’s being artistic in terms of finding ways to shape and create platforms for other young, black and ethnic minority artists, people and students who want to have a pathway in dance and need avenues and ventures to do so. Through Just Us, we set up the first Hip-Hop apprenticeship programme, mentorship programme and hip-hop development programme in both London and in Rio. We are collaborating with, as part of Born to Exist as well, three black females from Brazil on the project, Young Gifted and Black, which supports young black females in a favela in Rio. So I think Just Us is very much about creatives, about creating a platform and a space for people to be creative. What I like about being at the Royal Ballet is creatively it allows me to make a choice; I am a black man, being a black person in this space and making work. I’m sure there are a few black British Choreographers in this space at the Royal Ballet. Is that political? It’s not that I need to make my work political, more that I actually need to start reflecting more things about the world and not just keeping it to the surface. I think there’s beauty in the fact that I’m able to be that kind of choreographer in this space because you’ve brought me into this space, you’ve really understood what I do as an artist, so I feel like I’m in a space where I’m allowed to do this, I’m allowed to be different, I’m allowed to incorporate hip-hop, I’m allowed to bring different faces into the space.

Now that your trilogy is coming to an end, where do you plan to take your career next?

The Trilogy is over creatively but now I think the next step is asking how we bring more exposure to the work and to the subject matter. There are ideas and plans to take it abroad to Europe as a Triple Bill, to festivals, to the US, but it’s really about trying to get the subject out more and see this fantastic group of artists in the space, exploring work that’s unfamiliar and actually trying to make work such as this more familiar in theatre spaces. So for me, that is the next aim, working out how we can have more spaces that showcase black and ethnic minority work.

GETTING TO KNOW YOU …

A book you have to have in your collection? I don’t have a particular book that I’m reading at the moment, but I have been reading a lot of different journals, and learning languages, that’s something I’ve been really interested in. I’m trying to learn Portuguese and so I’m trying to get as many Portuguese books, French, and English books as I can.

A song/album that defines the soundtrack of your life to date? That is very, very hard, but I would say right now there’s a song by one of my composers, a composer from the Trilogy – Mikey J of Boy Blue Entertainment, called Phoenix from an album Black, Whyte, Grey that kind of explains who I am at the moment. Phoenix starts off calm and gets edgy and then pulls back, and I think that would be the best way to describe life at the moment.

A film / TV show that you can watch/have watched repeatedly? The series that I’m watching at the moment and keep watching repeatedly is the Brazilian series Irmandade. It’s a very interesting series looking at prison, at brotherhood and how circumstances put people in certain places. So for me, it’s a series I like to watch, I’ve watched it actually, a couple of times already.

The first stage production you saw and what it meant to you (play, dance or concert)? The first production I remember seeing was a piece at Sadler’s Wells by Rambert. I can’t remember what it was, but I just loved the fact they were all moving energetically, and at that time they were using R&B and Hip-Hop music, so it definitely caught my attention.

What’s made you sad, mad, and glad this week? We got our first review of the show, and it’s actually really great, but what’s made me sad is the naivety within that review that shows me there is still a lot of work to be done in how people reflect on their own biases, and how they try to analyse things a bit more, but at the same time, I was happy that hopefully, this will get more people to come and see the show.

What’s made me mad this week is that what we explored in the piece happened in real life. Being profiled in the supermarket, and that my dancers had to go through that, that I had to go through that, it just makes me mad that the story, that we are talking about in the work, in Born to Manifest, in Born to Protest, in Born to Exist is still happening constantly right now.

What’s made me glad this week is I’m appreciating that I can be in a studio, in a theatre, I can travel, and I feel really grateful for that opportunity, because if I’m being honest, I didn’t see it happening in my life. I’m always quite reflective after we’ve done a bit of a tour, I’m actually really proud of what I’m doing and of the team around me, and just in awe that, regardless of any good or bad news, we are in spaces that traditionally we shouldn’t be in, but that we should be in, and we should hold our heads up high and be proud and celebrate that.

Born to Exist is at the Place London on 25-26 October and on tour www.justusdancetheatre.com

Seroca Davis is an award-winning theatre and on-screen actress, whose career has been defined by the powerful conscious message of her work.

This time around she is set to play the leading role in BBC Two’s drama-documentary Una Marson – Our Lost Caribbean Voice. In this open and honest conversation, Seroca sat down with The British Blacklist to discuss her preparation for the upcoming role and the challenges currently facing Black women in the creative industry …

Please introduce yourself …

I am Seroca Davis, an actress who had the honour of bringing the phenomenal Una Marson to life.

Please share a word or sentence which best describes your life right now.

Humbled

Your latest project (BBC Two’s historical drama Una Marson – Our Lost Caribbean Voice, is set to be one of the most culturally impactful releases of the year. How easy or challenging do you find it to step outside of the role and appreciate the documentary’s significance?

It’s always hard for me to watch my work back as I’m often watching from a different perspective however, this documentary is so insightful and significant that I can’t help but watch it in awe and amazement. Una’s life is so inspiring so it’s hard not to recognise that.

Were you familiar with Una Marson’s story before playing her in this documentary?

No I wasn’t and I like to think of myself as a person who is quite familiar with the people that came before me but I knew nothing about Una and so researching her was so breathtaking for me.

The directorial decision to interweave archive footage of Una in the documentary alongside your portrayal of her further emphasises how amazing your performance is! What processes did you go through to perfect Una’s demeanour and unique speaking cadence?

Thank you! So I watched and listened to her a lot! Her posture, demeanour and presence are something quite special but it’s funny because getting her voice down was the priority for me. Although from Jamaica you would not know. She often wrote in her poetry and commented that the British people would often say that she spoke English so well as though it belonged to her and if they closed their eyes, they would think she was one of them! Once I felt as though I had her tone and voice down, her posture and demeanour then came.

Based on your own experience in the professional arts creative field, to what extent do you believe that Black women are still having to overcome the same obstacles or have the challenges changed with the times?

I mean I think it’s getting better but yes, unfortunately as Black women we are still having to overcome the same obstacles. I totally resonated with the fact that Una felt as though she had to make herself small to ensure she didn’t alienate the white audiences but at the same time be proud of where she came from. Sadly, I’ve often felt that. Being in rooms where there are not many other Black women, nervous, not wanting to come across as ‘aggressive‘ or ‘too opinionated‘ but wanting to have a voice and not second guess things I say; Being able to express myself in the same way that others in the room can.

The documentary being aired on BBC Two means that it’s likely to reach a more mainstream audience. Are you hopeful that this will expose more people outside of the Black community to Una’s immense career?

100% I really hope that it does because we all need to be educated on just how brave, courageous and inspiring Una was.

There’s always an air of excitement when news spreads that a television series, documentary or film is going to be made about one of our heroes. However, this excitement quickly becomes scepticism as we become wary that they won’t be shown in the correct light. Were you mindful of the version of Una that you had signed up to play before accepting the role?

That’s so true and I was. But after reading the script and meeting the creatives and producers behind this project, I knew that we were in great hands.

It often feels that icons in African-American culture are far more likely to be represented on screen than Black-British icons. Is this the sentiment that you also share and if so do you believe that the UK is doing enough to close this gap?

For sure, but in recent years, we are seeing more Black British icons on our screens. It’s beautiful to see. I believe there is still a way to go but I am hopeful we will get there.

Do you have anything coming up outside of this documentary that we should keep an eye out for?

Yes … a really exciting project but I’m not sure I can say any more.

What’s your current plan B? (if it all goes wrong what’s the plan?)

There is no plan B. Acting is the plan and is something I’ve been doing from a very young age but I do other things as well which all contribute to the plan of living a happy and fruitful life.

Celebrate someone else (who do you rate right now?) –

So many … Daniel Kaluuya, Richie Campbell, and Lashana Lynch to name a few.

Celebrate yourself … (make us proud of you)

As well as an actor, I run my own business and I have recently become a mother! My biggest and greatest job thus far!

What is a memorable moment from your carer that you can share with our audience …

Winning an Evening Standard Award for Best Actress.

A book you have to have in your collection?

Two … The Bible and Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod

• A song/album that defines the soundtrack of your life to date?

Toast– Koffee

• A film / TV show that you can watch/have watched repeatedly?

The Shawshank Redemption and The Wire

• The first stage production you saw and what it meant to you (play, dance or concert)?

Fallout by Roy Williams at the Royal Court. That is what truly inspired me to want to be on stage. Before that, I had never done theatre. Seeing that show made me want to be on stage.

• What’s made you sad, mad, and glad this week?

I am saddened by the loss of a beautiful soul and actress friend. Mad that I got a parking ticket! Why don’t they make the signs clearer! Also mad at colic! Anyone with a newborn will know! Glad to be alive.

Una Marson – Our Lost Caribbean Voice airs Sunday 23rd October @ 9pm on BBC Two

Stefan Gumbs has been catching the eye with his bold acting choices for almost two decades …

His latest venture is no different. Whilst many in the creative industry found their opportunities limited by the lockdown. Stefan used the time as an opportunity to create a thought-provoking drama

His directorial debut Entrustment is a tale grounded in powerful themes such as family, betrayal and the lengths that people will go to in order to gain approval. We sat down with Stefan to talk about some of his career highlights to-date, the importance of stories that highlight the Black experience outside of London and the enriching process of releasing his first film.

Please introduce yourself…

Hi, I’m Stefan Gumbs, I’m a 34 year old actor straight out of the north west of England, Manchester.

Please share a word or sentence which best describes your life right now.

Today is a rehearsal for tomorrow.

Your short film Entrustment is such a powerful story about family, emotional manipulation and redemption. Where did the inspiration behind this project come from?

The inspiration for Entrustment really came from past experiences with people around me, not family but with peers and people who I thought were friends. In the past, there have been times where I felt emotionally manipulated into making decisions that I was not 100% comfortable with, and generally putting other people’s feelings before my own in order to make them feel good, not thinking how those decisions affected me and my well-being. I guess it was a part of growing up and realising you need to put yourself and your feelings first before anything else. I wanted to create a story about how the people who are close to you can also manipulate situations and take advantage of your good nature.

How were you able to get role models David Harewood and Don Warrington on the project. What was it like working alongside them?

To be honest I’m still pretty shocked that they said yes to my idea! It was the start of lockdown and as you know, it was terrible for everyone, not just in the creative industry. I thought to myself, “hold up a minute” , if I’m sitting at home not really doing anything at all, then surely every other actor is doing the same thing. So I had a small idea in my head of what I wanted to create and who I wanted to play certain roles. I thought why not think big and ask my favourite British Black actors, so that’s what I did. I always wanted David to play some sort of relation to me in a production because I’ve admired his body of work for quite some time and the same goes for Don Warrington. To me, these actors along with many others have carved out a really inspirational career path that I would love to follow in the footsteps of.

Not really thinking I was going to get a reply, I sent a DM on Twitter at the time, to David and Don just telling them I have this idea for a short somewhat improvised film. I wanted to film with them remotely over Skype. I didn’t think I was going to get a reply to be honest and I was pleasantly surprised and very happy when I did.

After taking in the fact they wanted to be a part of my short, I had to think of what I wanted them to actually do. Remember, at this stage it was just an idea and a very rough one at that. Having worked with director Ken Loach a few years back on the feature film Looking For Eric, where I played ‘Jess’ I emulated the way he worked. Ken works very differently with actors, a lot of the scenes we filmed were improvised and we were never really told what the full scene was going to be like until the day. We never had a full script during the shoot, we would turn up to set each day and have a brief discussion about the scene then the cameras would roll and what he got was something very organic and very natural. This way of working stuck in my mind and I knew one day I wanted to create something using this method – so I did.

Filming with David and Don I would firstly have a Skype conversation with them both about their characters and my character. After our discussion, I then ended the Skype call and when they would call back, the cameras would be rolling, we would be in character and that’s how the scene would start. As you can imagine there was a lot of footage. The hard part was chopping it up in the edit and getting as much relevant information into the final edit as possible.

Outside of Entrustment’s gripping storyline, one of the things that really stands out is how unapologetically Manchester it is; the cast, the soundtrack and the script. How important was it for you to tell a story that embodied this?

Involving every aspect of Manchester was very important to me, with the exception of David and Don, I really wanted it to have as much “Manchester” in it as possible. It’s the city I love and have grown up in. I think it’s a great city with a lot of talent. I wanted to showcase as much of Manchester’s talent in Entrustment as I could in 8 mins. That’s also why I wanted the soundtrack to be from artists from the city along with the locations. I would have loved to have gotten small businesses from Manchester involved in this project. Hopefully in the next one.

Lockdown was a challenging time for everyone, including those working in the film industry as productions came to an abrupt standstill. How were you able to maintain your creative spark during this time?

Lockdown was incredibly hard and depressing at times for me, as it was for a lot of people, I always tried to flip it on its head and make something positive out of what we were all going through. God had a lot to do with it. Lockdown for me was a time God said, ”ok everyone just stop for a minute and take in what’s around you, compose yourself then get back to what you love doing”.

In so many ways it was a blessing that I got to spend a lot of time with family and close friends, I got back to nature, simple things like hearing the birds in the morning, gardening, it was very moving and inspirational for me. Lockdown gave me time to think, “how can I create longevity in my career?” This is the reason why I wanted to make my own short film. If I wasn’t getting the roles I longed for, I’d create my own opportunities. During lockdown I had a performing arts kids company called Starz. We had weekly classes via Zoom and it kept us all going and we were still creative.

In addition to starring in Entrustment, you also filmed the scenes and wrote the script. How does the experience of being this hands-on compare to when you’re solely acting on a project?

As this was my project from start to finish I was incredibly hands on in all aspects because I love writing and filming my own stuff anyway so all the puzzles kind of fitted together. There were times where it became stressful and I had nobody else to turn to. Usually, if something doesn’t quite work as an actor on set you can go to the producers or director for help but there was none of that. I was everyone, so in that way it was difficult. If I was to do it again, I would probably get a team together to help me write and film it. Remember it was the height of lockdown so I couldn’t really work with anyone else outside my household. The only scene filmed after we could meet up to 6 people outside was the scene where I was running to the train station. The Jamaican woman was my mum and the stunt man I bumped into was my best mate.

In the past, you’ve spoken openly about the challenges that Black creatives face securing leading roles in the UK. Do you believe that creating our own projects (like you’ve done yourself) is the best way to address this issue?

I really do think creating your own projects is the way forward, if you look at a lot of feature films or series, especially in the US, a lot of the producers and creators are the actors we see in that production. I am a strong believer of, “if the work isn’t there, create it yourself“. As soon as you start believing in yourself and creating opportunities for yourself, people start noticing, hopefully that’s what I achieve.

You’ve appeared in critically-acclaimed shows and films like Waterloo Road, Looking For Eric and Doctors. Are there any roles and genres you’d still like to explore in your career?

With the body of work I have done so far I feel incredibly blessed. In many ways I still feel this is the beginning of my career. I would love to play a detective, something like Luther or a very challenging and diverse character like James McAvoy in the movie Split. Whether it’s a villain or love interest I want to play a character the audience can really believe in.

After 15 years in the industry as a professional actor, do your motivations for acting remain the same or have they evolved, and if so how?

I think with any industry you’re in, you have to evolve with it as time goes on, I definitely feel now I have very clear goals and I look forward to the future. Now I think I’m motivated by the challenges each script gives me, whether that’s a TV/film script or a theatre script. I believe now more than ever in surrounding yourself with people who have the same or similar goals as you, positivity attracts positivity.

There has been a number of times I have received a script and I was worried I wouldn’t be able to do it. Then, I’d look deeper at the script and put the work in and really make the character my own, if the producer or director didn’t believe I could do it, they would not have given the role to me, that in itself motivates me as an actor. There are a lot of times I am out of work, over the years I have learnt to use that time to work on myself and my craft. There’s a quote that actress Jennifer Lewis said in an interview, and it has stuck with me ever since I heard it – it’s “The elevator to success is broken, take the stairs”. It’s true, I want to enjoy and learn from my mistakes to get to my success, that creates longevity and that’s what motivates me.

What’s your current plan B? (if it all goes wrong what’s the plan?)

Growing up family members would always ask me this, at the time I would literally say anything just to answer their question. Now for me there is no plan B. If someone said to me, you cannot ever act again, I would still love to be in the creative industry somehow. I feel comfortable in this industry. I love to create and I love to evolve. My plan B would still be in the industry. Whether it was behind the camera as a cameraman or videographer or in the editing suite, or even writing scripts.

• A book you have to have in your collection?

The Knife That Killed Me by Anthony McGowen. I came across this book many years ago when I auditioned for a role in the feature film. Sadly, I didn’t get the part but I read the book and I loved it, it has such important messages in it.

• A song/album that defines the soundtrack of your life to date?

When It’s Cold Outside by John Legend. I love the word and I love the music. IUt’s got me through a lot of uncertain times, when I didn’t believe in myself.

• A film / TV show that you can watch/have watched repeatedly?

A TV series that was on back in 2014 called Accused. It’s series 2 episode 2, starring Olivia Coleman and its one scene in particular which I just love. It’s the final scene where her sons murderer gets sent down but the sentence is not what she wanted and she confronts the mother of her son’s killer at her house. That scene blows me away everytime.

• The first stage production you saw and what it meant to you?

There is a dancer/ choreographer in Manchester called Chad Taylor. A few years ago he choreographed a solo dance which was about his mental health and the ups and downs he has had to face. The piece was so moving and such an insight to his life, that piece will stay with me forever.

• What’s made you sad, mad, and glad this week?

The thing that’s made me sad this week is the fact we are now in Autumn. I hate the cold and the wet. I am definitely a summer person. I would gladly take a heatwave over the cold.

The thing that has made me mad this week, and it’s not only this week it’s for a number of weeks now, is the killing by a police officer of unarmed man Chris Kaba. I am just utterly disgusted and saddened that no justice has yet to come from this. I feel for his friends and family and our community. When will these unlawful killings of our people stop?

This week I’m glad to be moving into my house, I have waited for what seemed like an eternity.

What’s on your bucket list?

I would love to skydive.

Celebrate someone else – who do you rate right now?

Right now I really rate Michaela Cole. I think she is an incredibly creative actress, I love the fact she has a vision and gets it done. She has paved the way for many actors who also write. Love that gyal!

Celebrate yourself – make us proud of you.

I love the fact that after 15 or so years I am still chasing my dreams. Yes, I have a lot of down days but my dream sustains me. I thank God everyday for allowing me to keep growing.

Where can we find you and your project?

Sadly, I no longer have my Twitter account but I can be followed on my Instagram page which is @stefantime Entrustment is on my YouTube channel.

On my channel you can also find other projects I have created myself along with vlogs and my showreels.

Tianna Banton is one of the UK’s most exciting rising filmmakers and the founder of her own production company Hanton Studios. The Lewisham-born Director has made a name for herself by fearlessly showcasing an incredible breadth of subject matters and breaking barriers with her work.

In this candid and insightful discussion, Tianna spoke about her highly anticipated feature film It Feels Like Home, telling interracial love stories that feel authentic to their communities and her hopes for how the film will be received by audiences.

Please introduce yourself …

My name is Tianna Reanne Banton, I am a British actress, Author, Filmmaker, Director, Singer – Songwriter, Photographer and Voice Artist.

I began filmmaking at the age of seventeen with my first short film Last Wish which ultimately started my production company named Hanton Boque Films at the time which then was shortened to Hanton Films and now goes by Hanton Studios. My filmmaking credits include Last Wish, A Kind Soul: The Movie, What Could Go Wrong, Trial And Error, Best Blues, Young Black And On The Way Up, Re-Incarnation: The Three Brothers, Killed Instincts, Out of the Darkness, Just Remember, The Closer I Get To You, The Central Club Mural Documentary, The Aftermath, A Shared Experience and more recently It Feels Like Home.

I also have a theatrical directorial credit for a show called To Whom It May Concern in which I directed two monologues.

Please share a word or sentence which best describes your life right now.

Good Chaos

What was the inspiration behind your film It Feels Like Home?

The inspiration behind It Feels Like Home came from my love of romantic comedies and the lack of representation I had seen in them growing up and now as an adult woman, especially in the British market. I had seen very few rom-com’s that were “interracial” that weren’t just a Caucasian character and an ethnic character. To me, that just wasn’t an accurate representation because walking down the street I see many interracial couples that are two ethnic minorities whether it’s a Black person and a Chinese person (like Ricky and Jaylin) or an Indian person and a Spanish person. It was just never something I saw on screen but always saw in life and I wanted to change that.

It Feels Like Home has been highly anticipated since you first made the announcement that you were working on the project. How long have you been working on bringing this story to life?

I have been working on this project since late 2019 just before Christmas I believe, I started and then I worked on it all throughout the year (that shall not be named) and then we filmed in mid-2021 and have been in post for the last year. So for me, we are rounding up to 3 years maybe a little more on this project so far.

Were you always conscious of the fact that there are a limited number of love stories told outside of the Eurocentric gaze, or was this something that you came to realise with time?

I think it was something that I subconsciously always knew but never really understood. I come from a big family and in the family, I have uncles and cousins who are married or were dating people outside of our race and culture so that’s something I always knew existed and was possible and that I grew up with. It was completely normal to me but it was something that I never really saw growing up on tv or in films and I think maybe when I reached my late teens and started making films, it actually sunk in and I was like “Whoa I’ve never seen that kind of representation on TV at least not in England”. I’d spent my entire childhood seeing the same thing continuously and that was kind of instilled into me that this is what movies are supposed to look like, these are the kind of characters you’re supposed to see in your movies and in your TV shows.

The characters in It Feels Like Home feel so authentic and fleshed out, which is an unfortunate rarity when it comes to stories about people from our communities on the big screen. How important was it for you to make sure that these characters had substance beyond just their ethnicity?

First off that’s a brilliant question I really like that question. I think for me growing up the only kind of cultured films I saw from England in regards to black, Hispanic, Chinese or even Indian culture were very stereotypical. If it was a black film there was some kind of gang and if it was a Chinese film they were doing Martial Arts, and for me, that’s not how I see the world. I didn’t want to create something that wasn’t a reflection of how I see the world and like I said growing up I had many cultures mixed in with mine through marriages through relationships – so I got to see first-hand what authentic mixed cultured relationships look like.

So when it came to It Feels Like Home my first priority was making sure that these characters felt authentic and reflected what I had seen, I wanted to make sure that they were more than just what people perceive their cultures to be, I wanted to give them a sense of humanity that’s unfortunately been kind of stripped away in films before. And that’s not me saying that their cultures aren’t important and shouldn’t be represented on the screen, it definitely should but it’s me saying that they are more than just culture and their culture doesn’t define them it’s just a part of who they are especially when it comes to love.

It Feels Like Home is one of the few British films that portray interracial love, why do you believe this is?

That’s a hard question, unfortunately, I think that to some degree there is a part of the Film industry that just thinks it won’t sell – that just thinks it’s not gonna bring the numbers in like Caucasian lead films so what’s the point? They have the mentality of ‘this is gonna bomb so why waste time, why waste money, why waste energy?’ Which I think is unfortunate because it’s been proven time and time again the movies do sell.

There are people who thought that Black Panther wouldn’t sell or Crazy Rich Asians wouldn’t sell and look what those films did. And with rom-com’s, especially interracial rom-com’s I think it also falls down to not knowing enough about relationships in those cultures to write authentic stories about them.

What message do you hope that audiences take away from this film?

I hope that they get to see and understand what love looks like for different cultures and for people in multicultural relationships that are “ethnic minorities”. I also hope that they take away that in life despite what you want or what you think you may want the universe always has a bigger plan – God always has a bigger plan and sometimes things are just meant to be, and you can fight all you want but it’s meant to be so it’s gonna happen.

How does it feel to see your vision come to life?

It’s been quite emotional honestly, it’s kind of this surreal kind of feeling because I’ve been working on it for so long and it’s just been a vision in my head for so long so to see it on that tiny little screen when we edit it and see the shots and acting and stuff it’s very emotional. I feel like this is the hardest I’ve ever pushed myself in terms of filmmaking and it feels like every second of it was worth it when I look at what was achieved so I get very emotional when I get sent new stills or we edit and I get to see it with my own eyes because it’s something that was just an idea back in 2019 and now it’s here and it looks amazing and that makes me very proud of how far I’ve come.

Are you optimistic about more British-based romantic films with diverse casts being made in future?

Absolutely! I think it would be impossible to continue to tell love stories and not have them reflect the world that we live in because when you walk down the street you see many couples from different cultures having fun and enjoying life and enjoying being in love so I think if we were to continue making romantic films and not represent that it would be an absolute shame so I absolutely hope that we see more British base romantic films with diverse casts in the future because it’s about time that we caught up with what I want looks like.

What’s your current plan B? (if it all goes wrong what’s the plan?)

I don’t know if I have a Plan B and I know that will absolutely piss off my mum because I think she would like for me to have a Plan B if this doesn’t work out but I have just always felt like this is what I was supposed to be doing with my life and so I have never really thought about a Plan B. A Plan B to me suggests that I don’t think I’m gonna make it and I do, but if I had to think of one out of my head maybe baking or photography those are things that I enjoy doing and could see myself doing more professionally.

A book you have to have in your collection?

Good Vibes, Good Life by Vex King.

A song/album that defines the soundtrack of your life to date?

I’m Going All The Way by Sounds of Blackness

A film / TV show that you can watch/have watched repeatedly?

Film – The Parent Trap (1998) / Aladdin (2019) Tv – Masterchef / The Originals.

The first stage production you saw and what it meant to you (play, dance or concert)?

I saw Joe (American R&B singer) live with my sister and my cousin and it was such a special moment because we had grown up listening to him in the car and in the house and it was our first concert experience and it was together so it was just sentimental.

What’s made you sad, mad, and glad this week?

Something that made me sad and mad this week was mixing up the extracts that I use to make cookies I accidentally put the wrong one in and it made me so mad but then I remade them the next day and didn’t mix them up and made the perfect batch of cookies.

What’s on your bucket list?

I want to work with Ava DuVernay and Zendaya one day and then win an Oscar for that film.

Celebrate someone else (who do you rate right now?)

There are a lot of people that I rate right now, first, Selina Jones (HBO’s Raised By Wolves), she was just nominated for a black British theatre award for best female in a play for An unfinished Man which was brilliant, she’s also like a little sister to me and I’m just incredibly proud of her and what she’s achieved especially in this last two years.

Secondly, Cherrelle Skeete, who I think is just phenomenal and brilliant and is just killing the game consistently which makes me super proud, she’s also just one of the nicest people that I know and has always supported me.

There’s also Michael Ajao who has always been super kind when we’ve talked and I loved him in Last Night In Soho, Noma Dumezweni who I’m fortunate to know and has also always been super kind when we’ve spoken and I honestly can’t wait to see her in The Little Mermaid – I think it’s gonna be brilliant, there’s also Dami Adeyeye who is an upcoming producer who has already worked with BFI twice and is just brilliant. There’s Kashif Boothe who has been killing the web series game for years now and is just making amazing content, there’s Laurelle Jones, another brilliant producer who doing her thing and Andre Fyffe and Stephan Pierre Mitchell who I only met this year at Sundance but already I’m seeing the stuff they’re doing and loving it so yeah there are honestly so many people that I rate and wanna celebrate but we’d be here until Christmas.

Celebrate yourself …

Do you know what, I am actually quite proud of what I’ve achieved not just in these last three years with this project but in the almost 10 years that I’ve been making films. I think if you go back to my earlier work and compare it to stuff that I’m doing now you can see the growth and you can see where I have developed and improved and really took the time to kind of understand the craft that I was diving into so I am quite proud of where I am right now and how far I’ve come.

Where can we find you /watch your project?

You can find me on socials (@tiannabanton), my production company (@hantonstudiosuk) and you can find It Feels Like Home when it comes out on Amazon Prime Video. Socials are (@feelslikehomefilm) on Instagram and (@flhfilm) on Twitter.