Sophia – A Princess, A Socialite, and a Suffragette

Posted on 6th April 2025

Sophia Duleep Singh was the daughter of the deposed Maharaja of the Sikh Empire and God daughter to Queen Victoria, who nevertheless reconnected with her Punjabi heritage on a transformative trip to India. The play explores her increasing politically awareness through her nursing in the Great War, which in turn led to a prominent role in the Suffragette movement.   

As we have come to expect from Eastern Angles, this production was handsomely staged, with Director Mandeep Glover making full use of lighting and sound to propel the narrative forward. The use of voiceover – a disembodied civil servant tasked with keeping a potentially troublesome princess under surveillance – was particularly effective in keep the uninitiated on board with this remarkable story. Natasha Patel played Sophia  with a stoic calm around which the ensemble cast revolved. Her politically disinterested brother Freddie was played by Sushant Shekhar with a heightened tone reminiscent of Oscar Wilde, while Moshana Khan and Harriet Sharmini Smithers portrayed her sisters Bamba and Catherine. The cast also filled in over half a dozen supported roles – most notably Shekhar’s  dignified portrayal of a wounded soldier. Facts and historical accuracy occasionally got in the way of pace and narrative momentum, but for the most part this was story well told.

Arguably the most exciting thing about Eastern Angles latest production, however, is the size of the audience that came to see it. The Corn Hall’s commitment to live theatre – surely rivalling any venue in the region – was rewarded by a close to capacity audience for Sophia. The audience were no doubt encouraged by Eastern Angles  reputation – they can always be relied upon to put on a well-executed and engaging production –  but it was nonetheless heartening to see so many people supporting the venue’s steadfast willingness to put on shows that both challenge and educate.