Return To Sender
An Indian woman arrives outside an industrial building in the Black Country, and stumbles into a meeting urging women workers to attend a national rally challenging inequality in pay. It's a summer's day in the 1960s, yet she is in a thick winter coat and with a suitcase in her hand. Unable or unwilling to speak, the only clue as to why she is here is the piece of headed notepaper she produces from the case. Who is she? Where has she come from? Why is she here? And does the spice van hold the answers?
In August 2025, Black Country Living Museum, Jaivant Patel Company and Black Country Touring presented “Return To Sender”; a short show based on original research undertaken with the local Gujarati community by Jaivant Patel Company, presented exclusively as part of the Summer Lates at the Black Country Living Museum.
This partnership brought four Black Country Touring performers together with historic characters from the Museum to create a rich, entertaining, thought-provoking show that reflected the lived experiences of local people and offered fresh perspectives on our shared history. Performances took place on every Friday in August in the museum’s Industrial Quarter.
‘Return To Sender’ was a continuation of our ongoing relationship with the Black Country Living Museum, exploring the telling of local stories in and around the museum’s site. It followed on from many years of collaboration and directly from the success of ‘Crossing the Line’ and ‘A Spanner in the Works’.
Creative Team
Director: Steve Johnstone
Performers: Bharti Patel, Elexi Walker, Jack Trow, Vimal Korpal, Carole Davies, Anjeela Wakil, Kit Proctor
Designer: Abigail King
Production Manager: Matt Lloyd
Audience Feedback
“Very nostalgic, very good, very powerful.”
“It was so moving. As a child of migrant parents, I really felt this.”
“It was brilliant, we loved it!”
Photo Gallery
Based on original research undertaken with the local Gujarati community by Jaivant Patel Company, 'Return To Sender' was a partnership between the Black Country Living Museum, Jaivant Patel Company and Black Country Touring, and is presented as part of the Summer Lates at the Black Country Living Museum.
Photography by Anand Chhabra.
