TV Review: ‘Three Little Birds’ – Brave, funny and gut-wrenching stories from the spirited Windrush generation   

Three Little Birds is a well-executed time-capsule drama that provides an education, through entertainment, about life in the UK for the Caribbean community in the mid-twentieth century.

★★★★☆

Three Little Birds is a tale of three brave Jamaican women who board a ship in 1957, bound for the UK, each with their own ideas of what life in England will bring them; some more lofty than others. Hosanna, played by Yazmin Belo, believes she is betrothed to a very well-known face waiting in England for her arrival; the picture of this person will have the audience chuckling to themselves. Leah (Rochelle Neil) is hoping England will provide money, and refuge from a terrible situation back home. And, finally, Chantrelle (Saffron Coomber) has hopes of a life of glitz and glamour. 

The drama highlights the brave decision of members of the Windrush generation to leave the unfamiliar and venture into the unknown in more ways than one. It documents the cultural, situational, emotional, and spiritual shocks the generation went through via the well-curated back-stories and lives of the three women. The main characters’ stories account for the fact that the Windrush generation’s stories are not all the same, whilst nailing some of the similarities between them. For example, all three women seek a new life in England for very different reasons, but there are similarities in the kinds of obstacles they face in trying to realise these new lives. When the writer and executive producer of the drama, Sir Lenny Henry, was asked how he came up with Hosanna, Leah, and Chantrelle’s stories, he said: “It was about conversation really, and trying to root it in truth. I’ve got sisters and aunties and uncles who lived this, so I could talk to them about it.”

A balance is struck between heart-breaking and funny moments, providing light and shade for the audience. The sometimes harsh realities of being black in Britain at the time are presented alongside moments that invoke laughter. For example, spoiler alert, Hosanna spends a night behind bars and when she is collected the next morning she describes being in a cell with “two ladies of the night, and a man with no teeth.”Commenting on the choice of funny and serious material included, Sir Henry said: “The best comedy is tragedy plus time…I want [the audience] to laugh and cry.” Critically acclaimed author Candice Brathwaite, who also attended a screening of the drama, added: “It’s deeply funny…comedy is part and parcel of how our ancestors got through what they did.”

In addition to the fantastic acting of the three leads, a special mention must be given to actor and comedian Javone Prince, for his role as Leah’s brother. He welcomes the trio to England and eventually settles them, despite the bumps along the way. In just the first episode alone, we see a range of emotions from, and roles played by, Javone Prince with convincing conviction. There is a scene where he expresses deep sorrow, and anger, in relation to the domestic situation Leah was facing in Jamaica before making the trip. The audience can very much imagine his character’s existence, in the form of a real Jamaican man living in England in the 1950s. Still on the topic of acting, it must be mentioned that Sir Henry himself makes an appearance in the first episode as one of the main character’s fathers. It is good to see him fully immersed in the project beyond the writing and producing.

There are a few poetic moments in the first-episode which really help to tie the story line together, and nod to the name of the drama. One is Leah singing a song about three little birds with her children before they go to sleep, and she leaves for England. However, one point of criticism would be that there are not too many of these moments and that there definitely could have been more of them. Despite that, another effective tool that was used to tie the storyline together was flashbacks, which gave viewers an insight into the root of the current situation and behaviour of the characters. It was used just enough to not be considered overused, while still giving us all the insight we needed. 

The Verdict 

Overall, Three Little Birds is a well-executed time-capsule drama that provides an education, through entertainment, about life in the UK for the Caribbean community in the mid-twentieth century. This drama isn’t just a drama for those who can see themselves in the characters’ culture, or skin colour, but for everyone who wants a glimpse into a part of black British history personified.

Three Little Birds makes its debut on ITV1 at 8pm on Sunday 22 October. 

Words by Solape Alatise

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