The Far PavilionsThe Far Pavilions at The Shaftesbury Theatre, 210 Shaftesbury Avenue, London The Far Pavilions spans the 25 years between the Sepoy Uprisings of 1857 and the Second Afghan War, telling the story of forbidden love between a British Officer 'Ashton (Ash) Pelham-Martyn' and an Indian Princess 'Anjuli'. The epic story evokes the romance of India, the intrigue of the Rajput Court and the over-confidence of an Empire at the height of its power. Set in the landscapes of Northern India, the Indo-British identity of the central character reflects the enduring love affair between Britain and India, which Mary Margaret Kaye wrote about so memorably in her novel. Described by critics as a 'Gone With The Wind of the North West Frontier', the novel topped the New York Times Bestseller List on publication 25 years ago, selling over 15 million copies in 16 languages. It was adapted in 1983 as a television mini-series and proved a ratings success both in the UK and the USA aswell as in 30 other countries. M. M. Kaye, who is survived by two daughters, was tremendously excited by the project, having been consulted regularly during its development: "Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine The Far Pavilions would be turned into a West End musical." Sadly M. M. Kaye died at the age of 95 in January 2004. The Far Pavilions, which has a 50-strong company, has book and lyrics by Olivier Award-winning Stephen Clark and music by Philip Henderson. The show is designed by Olivier Award-winning Lez Brotherston, with costume designs by Andreanne Neofitou, lighting by Peter Mumford and sound design by Rick Clarke. This £4 million production of The Far Pavilions is directed by the Emmy Award-winning international director Gale Edwards. |