The Empress Book Club

20th December 2023

The English Faculty have been running a book club for students based on the book/play "The Empress" by Tanika Gupta. They read the play and had discussions at the after school sessions.

They were then able to experience the play on stage at the RSC in Stratford, which they thoroughly enjoyed, seeing the characters come to life.

A couple of students wrote some reviews of their experience. 

Alexa in Year 10 said:

At the RSC in Stratford, we watched The Empress - written by Tanika Gupta - which is a story that follows the characters of Queen Victoria, Rani, Hari and Abdul Karim. The play was not only entertaining but it was also informing: we learned about the treatment of Indian people in the late 19th Century, under the rule of the British Empire. I really enjoyed the play because it was both humorous and educational. Gupta incorporated real historical figures, such as Gandhi and Queen Victoria, in order to expose the true prejudices and hardships faced by people from India during this time. Before watching the live performance, we attended an after school club where we read the play and therefore had a better understanding of the story. I thought the play was brilliant and I would definitely recommend it to others."

Sophie in Year 9 said:

The Empress was a truly spectacular story. A very important tale all of us can learn from in many ways. The RSC in Stratford is a magnificent theatre, so much history in one place!! Overall I would highly recommend this performance to anyone!"