Wolverhampton show to feature true stories told by Coronation Street actress Shobna Gulati and Shobu Kapoor of Citizen Khan fame

The cast of Mother Tongues from Farther Lands includes Coronation Street and Dinnerladies actress Shobna Gulati and Shobu Kapoor, known for EastEnders and Citizen Khan.

It has been written following a series of workshops including one in Wolverhampton involving group of elder Asian women from a Punjabi Sikh and Gujrati Hindu background.

The group was set up in 1994 to help Asian elder women who suffer from depression and experience loneliness, and it has continued to run on a voluntary and independent basis

The show was commissioned by Southbank Centre's Alchemy, the largest UK festival inspired by South Asian culture, and has been produced alongside organisations including arts group Black Country Touring.

The aim is to share 'an absorbing collection of moving and entertaining stories that address the gender imbalance experienced in some British South Asian communities'.

The monologues will be performed at Wolverhampton's Newhampton Arts Centre on May 23 at 7.30pm.

Kapoor, who was born and brought up in India before coming to the UK to fulfil her lifelong love of acting,said: “Telling another person's story puts a huge responsibility on my shoulders. I have to honour them, but also try and be as three-dimensional as possible, which means shedding light also on the shadow side of someone's personality.

"Hopefully, an emotionally rounded portrayal draws in the audience in a way that a totally factual rendering may not, and the people whose stories I'm telling feel that they and their experiences have been truthfully told."

“It's been a wonderful opportunity to work within a female-led team of diverse artists where we can engage with, recognise and celebrate the contributions of women from our communities from all backgrounds; with a view to share our experiences of our life journeys, finding a collective joy, freedom to release and solace," added Gulati, who also wrote and directed the critically acclaimed comedy show for young women, The Masala Girls.

The cast also includes comedian and writer Sajeela Kershi, who, since 2006, has performed stand-up worldwide, including taking shows to the Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leicester, Manchester, Buxton and Brighton festivals as well as performing at Montreal’s Just for Laughs.

Admission to the 70-minute show is £5. For details see www.newhamptonarts.co.uk