Alicia had a question from childhood, about why people have different coloured skin. She asked her teacher and got a very unsatisfactory answer. This led to another question: How long have black people been living in Britain?

So she goes on this search to find out, helped by the ancestors who guide her and who leave clues that she’s got to solve along the way. She’s transported into the past where we meet all these different characters who have contributed to British society and who come from the black diaspora. So I play Alicia and all the other characters who are part of the show.

What was the idea behind doing it as a stage show?

I’ve worked in theatre for many years and I had this idea for a show for a long time. Then during lockdown I had time to put these ideas together. I think I always imagined it as a one woman show. I’ve worked in children’s theatre quite a lot and I like to do things that are quite participatory. So it’s somewhere between a traditional show and a workshop, but with a little bit more of the razzle dazzle of theatre thrown in.

Why is it important we tell the story of Black Britons from the past?

If we don’t tell these stories, then we will forget our history. We’re an island nation. We have had a history of visiting other countries and being visited by people from other countries and when people come from different places, they become integrated into the society.

But if we forget what those roots are, and I’m not just talking about people from the black diaspora, then we don’t tell the whole story. Britain is made up of people who’ve come from lots of different places. So I feel it’s important to challenge some of the rhetoric out there, tell these stories and help bring our communities together.

“If we don’t tell these stories, then we will forget our history”

Was there anything particularly interesting that you learned from your research that you didn’t know before?

Oh, my gosh, so much. There were so many characters that I could have put in. One of my favourites was Arthur Wharton, the footballer, because he’s from my hometown. I was born and bred in Darlington, and I never imagined that there were black people in Darlington at the end of the 19th century. I was blown away by that. And there are so many other amazing people and stories you discover.

Why did you want to be a performer and what got you into it?

A friend of mine tells a story of when I was in the nativity when I was three years old, where I was playing an angel and taking my halo and dancing around. So it’s been in me for a long time. I originally started off in music. We had a piano in our house, which I played, and then I learned to play the cello at school. I sang in church choirs and then I went to Stagecoach performing arts classes and loved it. I think that was a real springboard for me.

“When I was growing up I didn’t really see anyone that looked like me, or see anything that reflected my life”

Why is it important that we tell different kinds of stories to children?

I think live theatre in particular can have such an impact on the imagination. When I was growing up I didn’t really see anyone that looked like me, or see anything that reflected my life. So that’s why I want to take this show into communities, because that’s the best way of reaching people. If we don’t tell stories that reflect the entire community, then we’re just telling the same stories to the same people.

I really believe that theatre can be for everyone. But sometimes they feel more comfortable going into their local community hall or a local library. I want to bring my show to places like this, so it reaches a wider audience.

What do you hope audiences get from your show?

I hope they’re entertained and I hope they learn something. I also hope they then wonder about all the different ways that you can be British, that it’s not just about one story. We hear a lot about British values, and all the people in my show have influenced British values in one way or another and I think it’s important we recognise that.

You can book tickets for Alicia’s Amazing Adventures at The Grove Hall here