Land takes on many meanings in Ishy Din’s play. Inspired by real-life events during the first battle of Ypres in 1914, it tells of how a group of Asian and British soldiers took refuge in a barn while an Indian machine gunner held off the advancing Germans.
Wet behind the ears British officer Thomas (Jassa Ahluwalia) is fighting for king, country and empire. But what are the motivations that bring Sadiq (Simon Rivers), AD (Sartaj Garewal) and Ayub (Waleed Akhtar) to this muddy field in Europe? The newly promoted Sadiq is looking to regain the land at home from which his farmer father has been evicted, while the educated Ayub hopes that Indian soldiers’ contribution to the war effort might hasten independence for India.
There is a lot simmering in Din’s drama, which examines not just colonialism but different kinds of hierarchies and class – both in Britain and in India. There is also a strong thread exploring what it means to be a family, including a lovely sequence when AD cooks for everyone.
Suba Das’s production begins with a bang, and, after a long slow development, delivers an emotional punch in the final section. There are pacing issues and clunky moments that detract from the intricacies of this finely acted and ultimately moving play, but it’s a story that needs to be heard.
• At Curve, Leicester, until 7 May. Box office: 0116-242 3595. Then Belgrade theatre, Coventry, from 12 – 21 May. Box office: 0247-655 3055.
