True stories – drawn from across the world – inspired A Handful Of Henna.

The play, by the Manchester-based writer Rani Moorthy, was sparked off by a workshop at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre.

After the meeting with a group of Muslim women at the venue – where Rani had put on a one-woman show – the writer decided to explore the themes of background.

"Most of them had come from somewhere else – some were Somali or Yemini, others had come from Pakistan," said Rani.

"I had the impression that they had not been asked about their childhoods before – they did not think it would interest people.

"What came out was the shared idea of Muslim ritual and religion. But the one thing that united them all was the use of henna."

The leaves of the henna plant – which has been used for thousands of years as everything from an antiseptic to decoration – forms a thread through the play.

A Handful Of Henna follows a British teenager, Nasreen, who sets off with her mum Saheeda to revisit their roots in the Indian sub-continent.

Set up as a cultural clash – Nasreen is horrified at the aunts who relieve themselves in the street – the play aims to entertain.

"The main drive is to tell a good story," Rani said.

"I want people to come in, be entertained and have a good journey. If, at the same time, I can dispel a few myths about the Muslim world at the same time, then so much the better.

"Though I'm not a Muslim myself, I grew up in a Muslim country, Malaysia.

"You see how aspects of the culture get hijacked – there is a difference between how it is practiced and how it is viewed.

"Because of so much that has happened in the media, it is difficult to present Muslim women in a realistic light – they are normally two-dimensional characters in the background of a shot.

"I would like to think we can dispel some of this and get people to engage at a level which is not disrupted by confusion."

Rani, who worked in Singapore before settling in England with her British husband, has created a tale which blends music and drama.

"If you put woman and Muslim together in a Western context, there is usually the idea of someone who is covered up and veiled – a secret world, maybe," she said.

"They are apparently voiceless – but we all know that is not the truth. We do not expect them to be rude, or have funny stories. So I enjoy delivering that in the play and having something that is not the stereotype.

"I hope that people look beyond the costumes to the hearts and minds of these characters."

What: A Handful Of Henna

When: Friday, March 19 and Saturday, March 20, 8pm

Where: Hull Truck Theatre, Ferensway, Hull

Tickets: £8-£10

Call: (01482) 323638

Link: www.rasatheatre.co.uk