Our Girl's Amy Leigh-Hickman says new project is like a modern East Is East
Amy Leigh-Hickman, who's also appeared in the likes of You season 4 on Netflix, Our Girl, Ackley Bridge, EastEnders, and many more, has compared her new project to a modern version of East Is East.
Amy is starring in a new play, called Passing, all about a young mixed-ethnicity girl trying to connect to her Indian heritage by planning a Diwali party, as her grandfather's health declines, and he has turned his back on his routes.
Speaking exclusively to Digital Spy as the play started its run, Amy said: "The only thing I would liken it to, is East Is East. That's where we were, and Passing is very much where we are now, and I think people that know that story, will be able to see the growth that we've made and still how far we have to go."
East Is East was a legendary British comedy film released in 1999, which told the story of a mixed-ethnicity Pakistani and English family in Salford, Manchester in 1972. It won the BAFTA for Best British Film and was based on a 1996 play of the same name, which Amy also starred in when it returned to the stage for its 25th anniversary in 2021.
"[Passing] is a really good indication of where we are now. In East Is East we talk about mixed-race children, a white mum, and an Indian dad, but that was set so long ago. I think this is a really good example of where we're at now, and the questions that sometimes we feel that we can't ask, but we can, as long as we learn from them."
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In terms of what attracted her to the role, Amy said: "The first thing was definitely the character, I've always jumped at the chance to play those young, strong, females. But also, I genuinely hadn't read a story like this, and when I was reading it, I was like: 'I've thought that and never actually said it out loud', and 'I've had that, but never actually spoken about it.'"
She added: "I think a lot of people will be able to relate to it, but it's the first time I've seen it said, in television and theatre to be honest. I've got a lot of mixed-race friends who are in their forties and fifties now, who said, I didn't ask these questions until I got to my forties.
"I thought it was refreshing that someone is doing this at 25, [in] our generation, we do ask more questions, and it's okay to ask questions, and we do talk about things more."
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Although it might seem like a fairly serious premise, Amy explains there's a lot of humour in the production, as she added: "Everyone is really funny in it, and after we did our first preview, there were so many parts of the show, that I think we weren't anticipating people would find funny. That's why the cast, really, really works, everyone has got great comedic bones, which always draws me to something."
The small cast of five also includes Emmerdale's Bhasker Patel and Finding Neverland's Catherine Cusak, Doctor's Kishore Walker, along with theatre regular, Jack Flammiger who's appeared in COPS and Jury Duty Live.
Passing is running at The Park Theatre in Finsbury Park, London until November 25.
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