This summer, the Pleasance Courtyard will host a theatrical reckoning with colonial history as Niall Moorjani and Jonathan Oldfield present their new play, Kanpur: 1857. Winner of the Charlie Hartill Fund, the show is a darkly comic interrogation of Britain’s colonial past, told through the lens of a rebel strapped to a cannon and the British officer interrogating them. But beneath the satire lies a deeply personal story of love, resistance, and identity.
“I started writing it as a storytelling piece,” explains Moorjani, “but very quickly this character of a British officer emerged, and I became fascinated by him. I knew Jonathan was the person I wanted to play him—he’s funny, he’s a great director, and I knew he’d bring nuance to the role.”
Oldfield, who met Moorjani over a decade ago at Edinburgh University, was immediately drawn to the project. “It just sounded like it was right up my street,” he says. “Niall’s writing fuses rigorous historical research with personal storytelling. It’s a love story, a story of rebellion, and a way into understanding a complex moment in history.”
Set during the Indian uprising of 1857, the play zooms in on the events in Kanpur, where Indian rebels killed British women and children in retaliation for colonial violence. “It’s a brutal episode,” says Moorjani. “But it’s also a love story. My character joins the rebellion because they’re in love with Hussaini, a Tawaif and a Hijra—India’s third gender. She’s barely mentioned in the historical record, but I wanted to reimagine her and give her voice.”
Oldfield’s character, the British officer, is no pantomime villain. “He’s principled, charming, and funny,” says Oldfield. “That makes the things he says even more chilling. If I’ve just made you laugh, and then I say something horrific, it catches you off guard. It forces you to question your own allegiances.”
Music plays a vital role in the production, with live tabla performed by Sodhi, known as Talking Tabla. “It’s like having a live film soundtrack,” says Moorjani. “He roots you in India, and he’s improvising in real time. It’s magic.” Oldfield agrees: “It lifts you out of Edinburgh and into another world. It’s a dance between the words and the rhythm.”
The support of the Charlie Hartill Fund has been transformative. “It’s game-changing,” says Moorjani. “It’s allowed us to focus on making the work, not just surviving the Fringe.” Oldfield adds, “Without it, we couldn’t have taken the creative risks this show demands.”
So what would they say to someone on the Royal Mile? “Would you like to see a giant cannon, live music, and high-stakes drama?” laughs Oldfield. Moorjani adds, “It’s funny, it’s biting satire, and it’s got a beautiful trans love story at its heart.”
Kanpur: 1857 runs from 30 July to 24 August 2025 (excluding 12 & 13 August) at Pleasance Courtyard (Beneath). Tickets are available here.
