On Rememberance Sunday, various events and services will take place to commemorate the lives lost in both WWI and WWII. The day is crucial in taking a step back, and taking in the gravitas of those who have sacrificed their lives for the rights of future generations. We’re taught about key events that led up to both conflicts and we also hear of the victorious. What we often don’t hear about are the various soldiers and labour workers who aided in the conflict from a multitude of backgrounds. Daniel York’s Forgotten tackles this, a narrative solely focussed on the 140,000 Chinese Labour Corp who contributed in Great Britain and the Allies’ victory a century ago.

Currently playing at the Plymouth Theatre Royal, before transferring to The Arcola Theatre, Forgotten fleshes out the one sided narrative we’re so often used to hearing. Forgotten brings to light the 140,000 Chinese labourers who aided in Britain and the Allies WWI victory a century ago; as a result, educating and celebrating the contributions of the Chinese Labour Corps. Director Kim Pearce talks to us about what drew her to the project as well as the extensive research process that brought this much needed production to life!

Starting life as a 5 minute play, Daniel York’s Forgotten has been many years in the making. A response to the lack of acknowledgement given to the tremendous effort aiding Britain’s and the Allies’ WWI victory, Forgotten places at the forefront the 140,000 Chinese labourers who sacrificed their lives in the hopes of escaping their current regime. The title, Forgotten speaks of many who have disgracefully been written out of the history books, a common thread often witnessed within significant Western texts. A much needed historical lesson, the production looks to highlight an alternative perspective of an event we are so often used to being presented in a particular manner. November 2018 marks the centenary of the war’s ending, making this a very timely piece. Daniel tells us more about the show’s creation and what to expect! 

Note: This show was a staged reading of a work in progress, after only a day of rehearsals.

After Rikki Beadle-Blair’s energetic introduction, the audience were thrust into the show, ‘Jamaica Boy’. Surrounding the cast on stage was an audience being brought into the process of writing a play. ‘Jamaica Boy’ is far from finished, but once it has been polished this play has the potential to become a real diamond of a piece.