BECOMING To Mark International Women's Day At Stratford Circus Arts Centre

In celebration of International Women's Day, emerging artist Ayo-Dele Edwards will perform the premiere of her one-woman musical drama Becoming, an autobiographical story spanning south west Nigeria to south east London, about how everything that has come before us shapes the person we come to be.

Born in London, Ayo-Dele Edwards moved to Nigeria aged three, returning to the UK aged ten. After eleven years of single-handedly raising her daughter, she realised she'd been living life on autopilot; she needed to dig deep into her childhood and the people who helped shape it to understand who she is. Through live music and storytelling, she travels from a Peckham playground to the scorching streets of Lagos to relive a life marked by an elusive father figure, a desperation to fit in, and the clashing of two cultures.

Becoming has been researched and developed with Stratford Circus Arts Centre as part of its mission to champion unheard voices, and uses music that draws on Afro-soul, gospel and pop adapted from her debut album, Forever Becoming. It is a joyous and searching exploration of mothers, fathers, what we inherit and what we leave behind.

Speaking about the production, Ayo-Dele Edwards said "I wanted to explore the idea that life unfolds, that we are different people at different stages of life. At its core, Becoming is about relationships, especially within the family, and how they affect our outlook on life; the fact that we do not get to choose the environment we are born into but have to work with what we are given. My hope is that women, no matter their age or culture, will be inspired to step into their identity and accept that who they are is enough. Working with Stratford Circus Arts Centre has been an invaluable time of learning and growing as an artist. I am honoured to be adding my voice to others who contribute new stories into the British experience."

Ashlie Nelson for SCAC said "We're thrilled to be home to the premier of Ayo-Dele's first solo theatre piece. At Stratford Circus Arts Centre we pride ourselves on being an incubator for new talent, supporting artists to develop and fulfil their ambitions. Ayo-Dele is an incredible musician and storyteller, Becoming is the next step of her journey as an artist and it's been a privilege to help bring this to the stage."

Ayo-Dele Edwards is an emerging theatre maker with a background in acting and as a singer songwriter. Becoming is based on her debut album, Forever Becoming, which is available on iTunes. The stage version began life at the launch of the album directed by Femi Elufowoju, Jr and as a TedxEuston talk before being developed at Stratford Circus Arts Centre into its current form. As an actor she has performed at theatres including The Royal Court, Oval House, Birmingham Rep and the former Tricycle Theatre, and her acting credits include roles in Rent (Prince Of Wales Theatre and UK Tour), Hamlet and Twelfth Night (Birmingham Rep), Iyalode of Eti (West Yorkshire Playhouse) and The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives with The Elufowoju Jr Ensemble (Arcola Theatre and Lagos, Nigeria).

Stratford Circus Arts Centre is a leading performing arts centre and an important local resource for east London communities, using the arts as a tool to facilitate social change. A National Portfolio Organisation of Arts Council England, the centre receives more than 120,000 visits a year. Stratford Circus Arts Centre aims to provide world-class, accessible creative experiences and performances on the doorstep of people in Newham and east London with a vision that access to art brings joy, empowers people, and draws them together. Its creative learning programme works with local schools and community organisations to introduce local people to artistic experiences through workshops and bespoke creative learning projects.

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