August 1997 — November 1997

A Tainted Dawn

by Sudha Bhuchar & Kristine Landon-Smith, directed by Kristine Landon-Smith

“The writing and characterisation throughout are shrewd, full-flavoured, full of delicate strokes, touchingly human.”

Sunday Telegraph

Marking the 50th anniversary of the partition of India and Pakistan, A TAINTED DAWN tells the stories of ordinary people who found themselves trapped on the wrong side of hastily drawn borders in 1947.

Tamasha was invited by the Edinburgh International Festival to open the play there in August 1997. Music for the show was composed by Nitin Sawnhey, now a leading recording artist.

A TAINTED DAWN was adapted from improvisations inspired by the following short stories: POSTBOX by S.H. AJNEYA; A LEAF IN THE STORM by Lalithambika Antharjanam; EXILE by Jamila Hashimi; AN INDIAN LAUREN BACALL by Leila Keys; WAGES OF LABOUR by Manto; THE VULTURES OF THE PARSI CEMETERY by Ali Imam Naqvi, LORD OF THE RUBBLE by Mohan Rakesh; PALI and WE HAVE ARRIVED IN AMRITSAR both by Bhisham Sahni.

Credits

Director Kristine Landon-Smith

Designer Sue Mayes

Lighting Designer Paul Taylor

Movement Director Lawrence Evans

Composer Nitin Sawhney

Sound Tom Lishman

Original Cast

Paul Bazely

Nizwar Karanj

Shaheen Khan

Parminder Nagra

Simon Nagra

Rehan Sheikh

Badi Uzzaman

Harvey Virdi