A dark chapter in the history of India and British is told with grace – and a surprising amount of comedy – in this confidently-staged piece of storytelling.
Based on historical events around the Kanpur uprising in India in 1857, the play’s blurb claims to comically satirise contemporary conflicts around gender, colonial violence, and making art in times of crisis.
The reality is it doesn’t need to try that hard. The core story itself is plenty captivating enough without any future-facing references, and it is adroitly told by writer Niall Moorjani and co-director Jonathan Oldfield.
Oldfield plays a stereotypical British officer – arrogant, charming, calculating – who prods and provokes Moorjani’s storyteller poet character to entertain, and ultimate conspire, while under threat of death from a cannon that sits ominously on stage.
The two gradually reveal their stories, with lightly-worn stage craft that sees them moving in and out of the audience without breaking the theatrical spell. It is beautifully done, and allows the horrific and tragic story to unfold with a dark humour.
Tabla player Sodhi provides a subtle accompaniment through much of the piece that gently elevates it – with more surprising musical interludes from Moorjani and Oldfield.
Moorjani’s character repeatedly asks why two things can’t be true at once.
Kanpur: 1857 walks that balance well, avoiding an overly didactic approach while laying bare the barbarism of the events it depicts. This is no lecture, but with luck it may be a lesson.
- Kanpur: 1857 was at Norwich Theatre Playhouse on 30 June 2026, touring nationally including Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh, 5-16 August 2026.