Past Production: The Empress 2013

Tanika Gupta's play explores the relationship between three characters - Queen Victoria, Abdul Karim her servant and Rani Das an Indian nanny.

The Empress was directed by Emma Rice, Artistic Director of Kneehigh Theatre. It played in the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon from 11 April to 4 May 2013.

Ray Panthaki as Hari and Anneika Rose as Rani in The Empress, waving a Union flag
Ray Panthaki as Hari and Anneika Rose as Rani in The Empress (2013).
Photo by Steve Tanner © RSC Browse and license our images

2013 production Cast and creatives

Ankur Bahl - Gandhi
Dom Coyote - Singer/Lascar
Vincent Ebrahim - Dadabhai Naoroji
Beatie Edney - Queen Victoria
Rina Fatania - Firoza
Tamzin Griffin - Lascar Sally/Mary
Kristin Hutchinson - Lady Sarah
Japjit Kaur - Ayah/Singer
Tony Jayawardena - Abdul Karim
Emily Mytton - Georgina/Charlotte
Aki Omoshaybi - Serang
Ray Panthaki - Hari
Anneika Rose - Rani Das
Ed Woodall - Captain/Sir John Oakham/William

Director - Emma Rice
Designer - Lez Brotherston
Lighting - Malcolm Rippeth
Music - Stu Barker and Sheema Mukherjee
Sound - Jonathan Ruddick
Fights - Terry King
Director of Puppetry - Sarah Wright
Video - Maxwell White
Bharatanatyam Choreography - Ankur Bahl
Company Movement - Emma Rice

The cast of The Empress.

Photo by Steve Tanner © RSC Browse and license our images

Tony Jayawardena as Abdul Karim in The Empress.

Photo by Steve Tanner © RSC Browse and license our images

Kristin Hutchinson as Lady Sarah and Beatie Edney as Queen Victoria in The Empress.

Photo by Steve Tanner © RSC Browse and license our images

Beatie Edney as Queen Victoria and Tony Jayawardena as Abdul Karim in The Empress. 

Photo by Steve Tanner © RSC Browse and license our images

Rina Fatania as Firoza and Tamzin Griffin as Lascar Sally in The Empress.

Photo by Steve Tanner © RSC Browse and license our images

Rina Fatania as Firoza and Anneika Rose as Rani in The Empress.

Photo by Steve Tanner © RSC Browse and license our images

Anneika Rose as Rani in The Empress.

Photo by Steve Tanner © RSC Browse and license our images

Ray Panthaki as Hari and Anneika Rose as Rani in The Empress.

Photo by Steve Tanner © RSC Browse and license our images

Ray Panthaki as Hari and Anneika Rose as Rani in The Empress.

Photo by Steve Tanner © RSC Browse and license our images

© RSC Browse and license our images

© RSC Browse and license our images

© RSC Browse and license our images

© RSC Browse and license our images

The Empress trailer © RSC Browse and license our images

Tanika Gupta video © RSC Browse and license our images

Emma Rice interview © RSC Browse and license our images
Launch Gallery

Studying The Empress

The text has been added to the Pearson Edexcel GCSE English Literature syllabus as part of the Lit in Colour programme, introducing new plays that create a representative and inclusive drama experience within the English curriculum.
Explore The Empress Teacher Resources.

We also created a series of seven short films, based on the 2013 production, with Playwright Tanika Gupta, 2013 Director Emma Rice, 2013 Designer Lez Brotherston and 2013 Choreographer Ankur Bahl.

Watch on YouTube

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