“There’s a lot of history to be found in ‘The Empress’ three-hour running time. Perhaps some scenes could be tightened and the ending, which ends a bit abruptly with Abdul’s dismissal, could leave us with some hope for Asha’s future. And the future of other young Indians on British soil.”
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“Whilst there are some pacing issues in the play, this is still a hugely successful piece. Witty and illuminating it explores a topic I have seldom seen explored in the theatre...There is plenty of compelling material and a wonderful cast, ‘The Empress’ tells that deserve to be told. Yet, could and should be explored further for a deeper understanding of the experience of Indian people in the era of empire.”
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“The biggest problem with ‘The Empress’ is that there are a lot of big figures in it, but not all of them feel as fleshed out as Rani and Victoria...Still, Ghai‘s decision to treat ‘The Empress’ like a straight historical drama is probably the right one – it’s a pacy, engrossing show, and if it might have worked even better as a six-part BBC drama, then that’s very much a recommendation.”
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“ ‘The Empress’ is a useful and engaging probe into parts of British history some factions would rather see left alone. If only it were bolder and pacier.”
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“This part of British Asian history is extremely important and should certainly be taught in schools, but for drama to thrive, it needs more dynamism and a greater emotional connection.”
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