In conversation with Adjoa Andoh

I had the pleasure of interviewing Adjoa Andoh, as part of the Black History Month talk at St John’s - organised by the JCR and MCR Ethnic Minorities Reps.

From appearing in two seasons of Doctor Who, to playing Lady Danbury in the hit Netflix series Bridgerton, to appearing in BBC’s Casualty and Eastenders, Adjoa has had an illustrious career in the drama industry. As of this year, she has also become an honorary fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

Speaking to St John’s students, Adjoa gave our students invaluable advice on getting into drama, and also provided an insight to the challenges she faced as a woman of colour in the industry - and how she coped with them. In response to the event itself, Adjoa explained her criticisms of the concept of Black History Month itself and how it can be conducive to a thought process that restricts the teaching of black history to a single month - as opposed to integrating it into the entire curriculum.

After the initial interview, students were able to ask their own questions to Adjoa, where she told us about what it was like to work on the sets of Bridgerton, the Witcher and comparisons to her extensive theatre career - acting in productions of His Dark Materials, and Troilus and Cressida.

It was truly an honour to welcome such an inspirational and renowned figure to St John’s, and also to have our students gain such meaningful conversations and advice.

Adjoa also encouraged the students present - particularly those hoping to follow her footsteps and enter into drama - to attend the acting workshops she is running next year.

Adjoa Andoh is currently the Cameron Mackintosh Visiting Professor of Contemporary Theatre and is running workshops at St Catherine’s College on 22nd January, 28th May, and 4th June.

Students can register here: https://www.stcatz.ox.ac.uk/adjoa-workshop-jan/