“A lyrical and poignant piece of historical storytelling”
The 2025 Fringe First-winning Kanpur: 1857 returns for a short run in 2026. This lyrical and poignant piece of historical storytelling – based on real events – opens with an Indian rebel lashed to a cannon, bargaining for his life through the power of narrative. It is a dark and brutal image and a brilliant set piece for a play – Chekhov only had a gun after all.
Written and directed by Niall Moorjani, who also performs the lead role, the production explores the aftermath of the British suppression of the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Moorjani gives a compelling performance as the conflicted rebel, telling stories to come to terms with what he saw and to barter for his life. His exchanges with Jonathan Oldfield’s British officer provide an engaging odd-couple chemistry, the narrative constantly interrupted by interjections, counterpoints and corrections as each battles to control the perspective.
Oldfield seems born to play arch establishment figures for years to come. His officer is the rigid villain, self-assured and certain. Embodying the unwavering confidence that the British empire represented progress in its every action – but self-aware of the contradictions this can involve.
The play’s greatest strength is its deliberate layering of nuance. It helps it avoid being either a history lesson or a pitch for martyrdom. Life is complicated and so are people – and this play doesn’t shirk that, acknowledging the many victims of colonial violence without reducing history to a simple contest between heroes and villains. Instead, it connects the events of 1857 to modern arguments about empire, occupation, gender, conflict and the difficulty of finding the truth in amongst all that.
The ambition is admirable and the execution…well, it’s a very effective in more ways than one.
Kanpur 1857 has a few remaining tickets for its limited run : Kanpur: 1857 | Edinburgh Festival Fringe ; and Niall Moorjani’s new play is showing later in the month: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/mohan-a-partition-story