Tanvi Virmani: ‘I'm grateful things are changing for Asians’
The young actress plays one of Colonel Thomas Blood's gang members Jenny Blaine/Jailer in the play The Crown Jewels at the Garrick Theatre
By Sarwar AlamJun 22, 2023
YOUNG actress Tanvi Virmani, who will be part of the play, The Crown Jewels, at the Garrick Theatre, believes her taking up a leading role in a restoration period play is a sign of progress for ethnic minority actors in theatre.
The play is based on the true story of Colonel Thomas Blood, the conspirator of an infamous plot to attempt to steal the British crown jewels from the Tower of London in 1671.
Disguised as a clergyman, Blood and his gang swiped the royal regalia from under the nose of their keeper, but were captured as they made their escape through the capital. Blood was mysteriously pardoned by the king and given a grant for land in Ireland worth an annual income of £500.
Virmani plays one of Blood’s gang members, Jenny Blaine/Jailer.
“This play is set in the restoration period, 300-400 years ago. The fact that I am in it is quite cool because I’d say 20 years ago, or even 10 years ago, it would’ve just been a full white cast,” Virmani told Eastern Eye.
“We’ve still got a long way to go, but I’m very grateful that things are changing and that things are more open for people who look like me.”
A poster of The Crown Jewels
The Crown Jewels
The Crown Jewels was written by Bafta award-winning creator of The Durrells and Men Behaving Badly, Simon Nye, and directed by multi-Olivier Award winner Sean Foley (Upstart Crow, The Ladykillers). It has a star-studded cast that includes Al Murray (The Pub Landlord), Mel Giedroyc (The Great British BakeOff), Carrie Hope Fletcher (Bad Cinderella), Aidan McArdle (Leopoldstadt), Neil Morrissey (Men BehavingBadly) and Joe Thomas (The Inbetweeners).
Virmani left drama school just over a year ago and said there were moments during rehearsals when she felt in awe of her cast mates.
“It feels like I should be paying to watch them,” she laughed. “I am watching these actors in their element, doing what they are known for. The likes of Al Murray, Joe Thomas, Neil Morrissey are all icons of British comedy.”
She added: “Comedy is known to be a difficult art to master, there’s real technical aspects to it. I am really looking forward to learning from these great actors.”
Though she is still relatively new to acting, the 22-year-old is already breaking new ground, having played the lead in the award-winning play Life of Pi in the West End.
She was cast in the role of Rani in the play, but thanks to the progressive production team, she got to play Pi – a male character in Yann Martel’s original book and subsequent film and theatre adaptations. “I’ve been obsessed with the film since I was a child. Pondicherry (in south India), where it’s set, has been my WhatsApp background for 10 years. And I’ve always felt this deep connection to it because of my Indian roots,” Virmani said.
Virmani in Life of Pi
Life of Pi
“When I auditioned for Rani, I also auditioned to be the understudy for Pi. There was a gender swap script, so not only did I manage to play Pi, I managed to play Pi as a woman,” she said.
“I am playing a character who survived on a lifeboat for 227 days. She is fighting a tiger. I am 5 feet 4 inches, but I had the opportunity to make it believable that someone like me and a woman, can fight a tiger on a boat. It was really empowering.”
And what was the reaction of the audience when they saw Pi played by a woman? “The first bit of the play is when I come out from underneath the bed. As soon as I showed my face and said my line, I could hear whispers in the audience like, ‘oh my God, it’s a girl, it’s a woman. I didn’t know it was a woman’,” she recalled.
Virmani said playing Pi was special as “it was one of the few times I have seen my dad cry. It was such a special day because I could see how emotional he was when I came out of the stage door.”
Her performance also had a big impact on some of the women and young girls in the audience.
“There were a couple of young Asian girls who came up to me and said, ‘what we really liked about the show was that Pi was a girl’. It made me realise the effect of being a south Asian woman in the industry. People of the same demographic will always support you for what you are doing and will look up to you.”
Virmani knows the importance of role models, as she says she herself was inspired by Indira Varma, the star of shows such as Game of Thrones, The Capture and ObiWan Kenobi.
“I find her so poised, so elegant and so commanding. She knows her worth because she has had to work hard for everything she has achieved.”
Aside from Life of Pi and The Crown Jewels, Virmani has acted in The Tempest at The Theatre Royal Bath and Two Billion Beats at The Orange Tree Theatre.
Though she has long-term ambitions of doing TV and film work, at the moment she is focused on her theatre career.
“My goal is the Royal Shakespeare Company. I’d love to just do a Shakespeare play with them. And I’d love to be in a period drama,” she said. “My first day of drama school, my teacher asked, ‘what do you want to get out of this?’ I said, ‘honestly, I just want to work hard and see what happens’. I just want to work hard to give it my all, my best shot and see where I land.”
The Crown Jewels premieres at the Garrick Theatre from July 7–September 16. The show then goes on tour with stops at Salford’s The Lowry (September 19-23), Canterbury’s Marlowe Theatre (September 25-30), Cardiff’s New Theatre (October 2-7), and Milton Keynes Theatre (October 10-14).
Fragments of Belonging is Nitin Ganatra’s first solo exhibition
Opens Saturday, September 27, at London Art Exchange in Soho Square
Show explores themes of memory, displacement, identity, and reinvention
Runs from 3:30 PM to 9:00 PM, doors open at 3:15 PM
From screen to canvas
Actor Nitin Ganatra, known for his roles in EastEnders, Bride & Prejudice, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, is embarking on a new artistic chapter with his debut solo exhibition.
Titled Fragments of Belonging, the show marks his transition from performance to painting, presenting a deeply personal series of works at the London Art Exchange in Soho Square on September 27.
Exploring memory and identity
Through abstract forms, bold colour, and layered compositions, Ganatra’s paintings reflect themes of memory, displacement, and cultural inheritance. The exhibition has been described as a “visual diary,” with each piece representing fragments of lived experience shaped by migration and reinvention.
What visitors can expect
The exhibition will showcase original paintings alongside Ganatra’s personal reflections on identity and belonging. The London Art Exchange promises an intimate setting in the heart of Soho, where visitors can engage with the artist’s work and connect with fellow creatives, collectors, and fans.
The event runs from 3:30 PM to 9:00 PM on September 27, and is open to all ages.
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£1 tickets available for families receiving Universal Credit
The Peter Rabbit™ Adventure runs at Hampton Court Palace from 25 July to 7 September 2025
Trail includes interactive games, riddles and character encounters across the gardens
Children can meet a larger-than-life Peter Rabbit in the Kitchen Garden
Special themed menu items available at the Tiltyard Café
£1 tickets available for families receiving Universal Credit and other benefits
Peter Rabbit comes to life at Hampton Court
This summer, families visiting Hampton Court Palace can step into the world of Beatrix Potter as The Peter Rabbit™ Adventure takes over the palace gardens from 25 July to 7 September 2025.
Explore the Kitchen Garden, Tiltyard and WildernessHRP
The family trail, officially licensed by Penguin Ventures on behalf of Frederick Warne & Co., combines the palace’s historic gardens with the much-loved tales of Beatrix Potter. Visitors will encounter interactive activities, puzzles and games while exploring the Kitchen Garden, Tiltyard and Wilderness.
Interactive activities and wildlife learning
Along the trail, children can try Mrs Tiggy-winkle’s washing equipment to make music, search for Peter Rabbit under wheelbarrows, or test their hopping skills alongside Beatrix Potter’s characters.
The experience also highlights Potter’s role as a committed environmentalist. Young visitors are encouraged to look for real wildlife such as hedgehogs, squirrels and toads while learning about habitats and conservation in the palace grounds.
Children can meet a larger-than-life Peter Rabbit HRP
Meet Peter Rabbit and enjoy themed treats
Peter Rabbit himself will make appearances in the Kitchen Garden at set times each day, where families can take photos among the seasonal produce. Fresh fruit and vegetables grown in the gardens will feature in special Peter Rabbit™ menu items at the Tiltyard Café.
After completing the trail, children can also explore the Magic Garden playground or visit Henry VIII’s Kitchens inside the palace, where live cookery demonstrations take place each weekend.
Tickets and access
The Peter Rabbit™ Adventure is included in general admission:
Off-peak (weekdays and bank holidays): Adults £27.20, Children (5–15) £13.60, Concessions £21.80
Peak (weekends and events): Adults £30.00, Children £15.00, Concessions £24.00
HRP Members go free
Families in receipt of Universal Credit and other means-tested benefits can access £1 tickets throughout the summer (advance booking required).
Membership offers unlimited visits to Hampton Court Palace and other Historic Royal Palaces sites, including seasonal events such as the Hampton Court Palace Food Festival and Henry VIII’s Joust.
For more details and booking, visit
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Gavin & Stacey takes home the comedy award
I’m a Celebrity wins in the reality competition category
Lineker takes presenter prize after BBC departure
Gary Lineker has ended Ant and Dec’s record 23-year winning streak at the National Television Awards (NTAs). The former Match of the Day presenter was voted best TV presenter by viewers at the ceremony on Wednesday.
Lineker stepped down from Match of the Day in May after 26 years, following controversy around his social media posts. Accepting the award, he thanked colleagues and said the prize showed “it is OK to use your platform to speak up on behalf of those who have no voice.” He added: “It’s not lost on me why I might have won this award.”
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The last winner before Ant and Dec’s run was Michael Barrymore in 2000.
Netflix drama Adolescence scores double win
Netflix’s hit drama Adolescence won best new drama and best drama performance for 15-year-old Owen Cooper. The show, which follows the story of a teenage boy accused of murder, became a national talking point earlier this year.
Cooper beat fellow nominee Stephen Graham, who plays his on-screen father, though neither attended the event.
Gavin & Stacey named best comedy
Gavin & Stacey’s Christmas finale, watched by more than 20 million viewers, was named best comedy. Ruth Jones, who plays Nessa, accepted the award and joked: “Alright, calm down. I’m going to the bar now for a pint of wine.”
Backstage, Jones paid tribute to co-writer and co-star James Corden, who could not attend, and addressed reports of a new Apple TV+ project, saying nothing had yet been confirmed.
I’m a Celebrity beats The Traitors
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Other winners of the night
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The Financial Times, which interviewed Arundhati at her home in Delhi, reveals: “In an episode to which the writer makes oblique reference early in the book but withholds until later — because of the pain it caused — she returned from boarding school for the holidays, aged 13, to find that Mrs Roy had had her beloved pet dog, Dido, shot and buried as ‘a kind of honour killing’ after Dido mated with an unknown street dog.”
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The mural has been covered and is being guarded by security
A new mural by street artist Banksy has appeared on the Royal Courts of Justice building in central London.
The artwork depicts a judge hitting a protester, with blood splattering their placard.
It comes days after nearly 900 arrests at a London protest against the ban on Palestine Action.
The mural has been covered and is being guarded by security; Banksy confirmed authenticity via Instagram.
Banksy’s latest work at the Royal Courts of Justice
A new mural by the elusive Bristol-based street artist Banksy has appeared on the side of the Royal Courts of Justice building in central London.
The artwork shows a judge in traditional wig and black robe striking a protester lying on the ground, with blood depicted on the protester’s placard. While the mural does not explicitly reference a specific cause or incident, its appearance comes just two days after almost 900 people were arrested during a protest in London against the ban on Palestine Action.
Security and public access
Social media images show that the mural has already been covered with large plastic sheets and two metal barriers. Security officials are guarding the site, which sits beneath a CCTV camera.
Banksy shared a photo of the artwork on Instagram, captioning it: “Royal Courts Of Justice. London.” This is consistent with the artist’s usual method of confirming authenticity.
Location and context
The mural is located on an external wall of the Queen’s Building, part of the Royal Courts of Justice complex. Banksy’s stencilled graffiti often comments on government policy, war, and capitalism.
Previous works in London
Last summer, Banksy launched an animal-themed campaign in London featuring nine works. The series concluded with a gorilla appearing to lift a shutter at the London Zoo. Other notable pieces included piranhas on a police sentry box in the City of London and a howling wolf on a satellite dish in Peckham, which was removed less than an hour after unveiling.