A Bradford stage play detailing the experiences of women who were welcomed onto the Canterbury estate after marrying Pakistani men was honoured at the national Asian Media Awards.
The 9th Asian Media Awards ceremony took place at the Emirates Old Trafford with Good Morning Britain presenter, Adil Ray and Eastenders star Jaz Deol also amongst the winners.
The story of Full English is based on the real, lived experiences of Natalie Davies and her family. A Bent Architect production the show starred Natalie Davies herself and featured Kamal Kaan and Lucy Hird. It was designed and directed by Jude Wright
An emotional Natalie Davies said on the night: “I’m in absolute shock. It’s me it’s being quarter Pakistani and it means the absolute world and it means I fit in. So, thank you very much.”
The play explores personal histories from the Canterbury Estate, where Natalie Davies grew up. In the late fifties the first wave of migrant workers arrived from South Asia.
These young men soon met and fell in love with local women, including Natalie’s Grandma.
When her Grandma fell in love, her life was thrown into chaos. It was only when she arrived at Canterbury Estate with her children that she found the solidarity of a small group of women who were also in love across boundaries.
Just as Natalie became a mother herself, her beloved Grandma was diagnosed with dementia. Full English follows Natalie as she attempts to piece together the fragments of her own identity through understanding the courage and tenacity of her Grandma.
Natalie added: "This is such a personal story for me to share.
“Me and my family have been on an epic journey since Full English was first conceived of.
“Winning an AMA means the absolute world to myself and the team because representation is everything. Receiving this award really shows how the telling of mixed-race stories are important and are celebrated as a vital part of Asian culture and heritage."
The 2021 Asian Media Awards are supported by the University of Salford and hosted by Sky Sports news presenter Bela Shah.
A special invitation was also extended to the ten 2020 winners and tributes were paid throughout the night to all those who were unable to be at the awards after a tumultuous 18 months.
Volunteers and community groups who had worked with AMA co-founder Umbreen Ali, who passed away last December were invited to present awards on the night. Sara Hussain of the WEGS Group presented the award on the night to the team from Full English.
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