The Bite Magazine - Autumn/Winter 2023 - Issue 34

bitetheatre Rani has finally been given Hari's letters, and she laments over them, realising some are dated up to three years before, increasing her homesickness. The scene of the Golden Jubilee celebrations is filled with Indian music and dancing, colours, joy, and so much life that I notice I wasn’t alone, head-bobbing in the audience. The costumes are impressive and extravagant, and the Queen was a sight to behold! As I look around in the darkness, there is a glaze of excitement in the eyes watching. It indeed was a suitable royal gala! This critical scene of the play has the MP storm the celebrations and make a political statement. “Empress of fam- ine! Queen of black death.” Hari, now an activist, eventually returns to the shores of Tilbury and asks Dadabhai for an appren- ticeship as he plans to influence action against the injustices of India and feels the MP could spring- board him to making a better stand. Hari and Rani bump into and recognise each other in Dadabhai’s office. Our hearts are filled with joy that perhaps their love of the past could finally be reignited. He asks for the friendship of her hand, and they make up. The Queen, now very old and wheelchair-bound, is still a great friend of Karim, whom she now calls by his first name, Abdul. We see him pushing her in the gardens, still talking in Hindi-English and en- joying each other's company. He surprises her with an Indian feast and the finest silks he brought back from his voyage. Not long after, the Queen dies, having never seen the country she was Empress of. Abdul Karim is ordered by the royal courts to burn every corre- spondence he and the Queen made to each other while he was away or during his servitude at the palace. This scene is sad and low for Karim and the audience as there is a solemn air very different to the previous joyous one of the Golden Jubilee cel- ebration, the anxious one of the lovers reuniting, or the tense one of Dadabhai making a political stance. At the end of this performance, a ship is waiting at Tilbury Docks, ready to set sail to India. But the question is: who will board it? Despite its length, which is typical for a Gupta story, I feel like I’ve been taken on an exciting roller coaster of emo- tions that now leave me in reflection of the past, acknowledgement of using the past to inform my future, recognise the change of attitudes in those that have, and those that haven’t. I also want to address myself and those around me to be better humans by learning from ‘The Empress’ and not having our heads buried in the sand when injustic- es surround us. Performances by the principal and supporting cast, direction, set and costume design gave way to a brilliant performance for which the Royal Shakespeare Company is renowned. Never a dis- appointment! I hope this production returns soon, and you are lucky enough to experience it. It was a true joy! Check out their website for what the Royal Shake- speare Company offers this season. www.rsc.org.uk/whats-on