Three Little Birds (2023)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Little Birds is a historical drama – a miniseries in six parts - which premiered on British television (itv) in 2023.

 

This miniseries focuses on three young women who sail on a ship from Jamaica to the UK in 1957.

 

These three women are members of the Windrush generation who left a home located on an island in the Caribbean Sea and immigrated to the UK during the years 1947-1961.

 

While the story presented in the miniseries is fictional, it is based on and inspired by the real history of the Windrush generation.

 

The miniseries about the three fictional characters was created by the well-known actor Lenny Henry and written by Lenny Henry and Russell T. Davies.

 

Lenny Henry created this historical drama as a tribute to his mother - a member of the Windrush generation - who died in 1998.

 

Before writing the story, Lenny did extensive research on the topic.

 

He contacted members of his own family as well as many other people whose parents were members of the Windrush generation.

 

He told them:

 

Please tell me everything you know about the experiences of your parents when they began their lives in the UK.

 

He emphasized:

 

Please mention positive as well as negative experiences.

 

He wanted to collect information which could cover the whole story. Not only the bad stuff. Not only the good parts.

 

He wanted to know the whole truth: the good, the bad and the ugly.

 

Having collected detailed information from several sources, he was able to sit down and write the manuscript for the miniseries. 

 

During the writing process, he was mentored by Russell T. Davies.

 

The story about the three little birds is based on the information he collected from his sources.

 

Some scenes are funny.

They will make you laugh.

 

Other scenes are sad.

They will make you cry.

 

Some characters are mean and nasty towards the immigrants. They will make you upset.

 

Other characters are friendly and helpful towards the immigrants. They will make you feel that there is still some hope for mankind.

 

The three young women are on a roller-coaster ride as they try to start a new life in the UK.

 

They have to face many obstacles, but they also have some good experiences.

 

If you want to know how the members of the Windrush generation were treated in the UK, this story about the three little birds from Jamaica is a good place to start.

 

PS. Russell T. Davies (born 1963) is a screenwriter and television producer, who has been involved in numerous productions, including the following:

A Very English Scandal (2018)

It's a Sin (2021)

Nolly (2023)

 

BASIC INFORMATION

 

Here is some basic information about the miniseries:

 

** Creator: Lenny Henry

** Directors: Darcia Martin, Charles McDougall, and Yero Timi-Biu

** Writers: Lenny Henry and Russell T. Davies

** Run time: 6 x 45 minutes = 270 minutes

 

The cast includes the following:

 

The first group

** Rochelle Neil as Leah Whittaker – she is the mother of three children - this character is inspired by Lenny Henry's mother: Winifred Henry

** Yasmin Belo as Hosanna Drake – she is Leah’s religious friend

** Saffron Coomber as Chantrelle Brahms – she is Leah’s half-sister who becomes a nanny

 

The second group

** Javone Prince as Aston Brahms – he is the brother of Leah and Chantrelle - he already lives in England

** Bobby Gordon as Shelton Powell – he came to England during the war and became an RAF pilot

** Lenny Henry as Remuel Drake – he is Hosanna’s father

** Arthur Darvill as Ernest Wantage – he hires Chantrelle to be a nanny

** Amy Beth Hayes as Diana Wantage – she is the wife of Ernest Wantage

** Michelle Fox as Siobhan – she is a nanny in the house next to the house where Chantrelle is a nanny

 

What do reviewers say about this historical drama?

 

Here are some results:

 

** 66 percent = IMDb

** 83 percent = Rotten Tomatoes (the critics)

 

There are ten user reviews on IMDb.

 

Here are the headlines and the ratings offered:

 

80 = The next Call the Midwife

90 = Three Little Birds Soars High

100 = Powerful reminder of Windrush

100 = Painful reminder

100 = Outstanding

100 = Entertaining and informative drama

100 = Very well done all involved

100 = Absolutely loved it

100 = Can’t wait for season 2

100 = Amazing

 

The average rating of the ten user reviews is 97 percent. This rating is much higher than the rating offered by the website.

 

The ratings are quite good, as you can see. In my opinion, the good ratings are fully justified.

 

REFERENCES

 

# 1. Items available online

 

Shivani Dubey and Jo Berry

“Lenny Henry mentored by Doctor Who's Russell T Davies on new show,”

Digital Spy

15 October 2022

 

“What is Windrush and who are the Windrush generation?”

BBC News

27 July 2023

 

“Lenny Henry on the personal stories behind his new TV drama,”

The Telegraph

14 October 2023

 

Paris Williams

“Review: Three Little Birds,”

Redbrick

01 December 2023

 

# 2. Books

 

Voices of the Windrush:

The real story told by the people themselves

By David Matthews

2018

 

Mother Country:

Real Stories of the Windrush Children

Edited by Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff

2018

 

Homecoming:

Voices of the Windrush Generation

By Colin Grant

2019

 

The Windrush Betrayal:

Exposing the Hostile Environment

By Amelia Gentleman

2019

 

Windrush: A Ship Through Time

By Paul Arnott

2019

 

Coming to England: An inspiring true story celebrating the Windrush generation

By Floella Benjamin

2020

 

# 3. Film and video

 

Windrush

A documentary film

Four episodes – 1998

Episode 1 - Arrival

Episode 2 – Intolerance

Episode 3 – A new Generation

Episode 4 – A British Story

All four episodes are available on YouTube

 

Soon Gone: A Windrush Chronicle

A historical drama

Eight episodes – 2019

 

Windrush: Portrait of a Generation

A documentary film

2023

 

*****

The British actor and author

Lenny Henry

(born 1958)

 

*****

The HMT Empire Windrush,

launched in Germany in 1930.

In June 1948, this ship arrived in England 

with more than 1,000 passengers,

including more than 800 West Indian immigrants.

The Windrush was not the only ship 

which carried immigrants 

from the West Indies to the UK, 

but it is the most famous ship of them all.

The Windrush generation is named after this ship

*****

 

In June 2023, the 75 year-anniversary of

the arrival of the Windrush was marked and

celebrated by many people in the UK

*****