'Smile': a play about Indian soldiers at the Brighton Pavilion Hospital during the First World War

Three Indian soldiers recover at the iconic Brighton Pavilion
hospital. Every detail is provided for but something isn't
quite right. The soldiers question why the plentiful food and
high quality care is served in the shadow of guards and bars
across windows. Will they be honoured as heroes as the British
had led them to believe, or are they merely prisoners being
readied again for war?


This podcast is one of five short plays produced in response to
documents held at The National Archives relating to the
experiences of people from South Asia at the time of the First
World War. The series was created by five playwrights from the
Tamasha Developing Artists (TDA) programme and funded by the
Friends of The National Archives.


Written by: Melanie Pennant


Directed by: Anthony Simpson-Pike


Performed by: Peter Singh, Naveed Khan, Jag Sanghera and Jim
Conway


Recorded, edited and sound designed by: Robbie MacInnes


Photo credits: Bettina Adela


With thanks to Iqbal Husain and Sara Griffiths at The National
Archives, and Fin Kennedy and Mina Maisuria at Tamasha Theatre.