Kanpur 1857 at the Pleasance Courtyard comes from the pen of Fringe First winner Niall Moorjani, presented in association with Jasmine Cole Productions. It’s a show that frequently sells out and generates plenty of enthusiastic word-of-mouth praise.
The play opens with our storyteller tied to a cannon, surely a contender for a Best Prop Award, if one existed, shaking with fear as they face execution for their involvement in the Kanpur revolt of 1857 during the height of British colonial rule. We, the audience, become the local natives, forced to watch this barbaric execution. Accompanying the action is a tabla player, Sodhi, whose musical performance adds such depth and texture that he functions almost as a third actor.
As the story dips into the protagonist’s childhood memories along the River Ganga, my heart briefly sank at the prospect of another conventional one-man show. Fortunately, a wonderfully unexpected intervention from a British officer completely shifts the dynamic. Played with winning charm by Jonathan Oldfield, the officer twists the interrogation into a storytelling opportunity. Oldfield’s sharp interjections and mercurial switches from pleasant to poised menace are the highlight of the production.
Kanpur 1857 is co-directed with aplomb by Moorjani and Oldfield and explores the oppression of India by invading forces who viewed themselves as a superior, civilising power. The script tackles complex territory, from atrocities committed on both sides to a love story involving a hijra (a recognised third gender in India, or in modern terms a trans individual). The debate over responsibility for the massacre is fascinating as the dialogue whips back and forth. Yet, because the officer, a member of a Scots regiment, holds all the authority, the ultimate outcome is never in doubt.
Kanpur 1857 shines a necessary light on a period of history largely forgotten in Britain. Its intentions are noble, the acting is excellent, and the live tabla accompaniment is inspired. However, the production relies a bit too heavily on exposition, with the final projected footnotes and historical explanations ultimately making the show feel more like a souped-up history lecture than a fully realised drama.
Listings and ticket information can be found hereÂ
