Commissioned by Curve and co-produced with Belgrade Theatre Coventry and Watford Palace Theatre, Wipers is inspired by the real life story of Khuddadad Khan, the first South Asian soldier to be awarded a Victoria Cross for his extraordinary bravery at the First Battle of Ypres. Written by award winning playwright Ishy Din and directed by Curve Associate Director Suba Das, this startling new piece of work honours the contribution of the million South Asian soldiers who fought alongside British soldiers during the World War I.
Chris Stafford, Chief Executive, and Nikolai Foster, Artistic Director of Curve, said today: "We continue to celebrate diversity and share stories from many different perspectives. Ishy Din's beautiful play, Wipers, retells the extraordinary actions of South Asian soldiers during the Great War, and we are honoured our production has been recognised during this centenary."
Director of Wipers, Suba Das, commented: "It's an absolute thrill that Wipers has won Best Stage Production at this year's Asian Media Awards. We are proud to have brought an under-told story about the South Asian contribution to the First World War effort to light, taking the play to audiences across the UK. Challenging stereotypes and changing perspectives is one of the most powerful things theatre can do, and we saw this every night in the extraordinary response to Ishy Din's profoundly moving script, Isla Shaw's stunning design, and the performances of our four brilliant actors."
The Asian Media Awards is designed to showcase the very best talent working in Asian media and creative industries.
Curve is run by Leicester Theatre Trust Limited, a registered charity (no. 230708). We gratefully acknowledge and welcome the continued support of and partnership with the above organisations.
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