Brendon Ludlow
15 Aug 2026
Kanpur 1857: History, Oppression and Who Gets to Tell the Story ★★★★☆
Kanpur 1857 was not the piece I was expecting and that is part of its power.
Set around the events of the 1857 uprising against British rule in India, the production takes us into Kanpur and explores resistance, colonialism, oppression and, importantly, who gets to tell history.
Performed as a two-hander with a live musician on stage, the production uses traditional Indian percussion throughout, adding another layer to the storytelling. The opening monologue is perhaps a little lengthy, but it provides important context for an audience who may know very little about this period of history.
Both performers are excellent actors. Against a simple set and the imagery of British redcoats, they move between perspectives, characters and histories with confidence. At its heart is a particularly provocative idea: this may be your story, but you need me to tell it.
That tension runs throughout Kanpur 1857. British and Indian perspectives collide as history becomes storytelling, and storytelling becomes an examination of who has historically controlled the narrative.
The script is clever, challenging and deeply reflective. It explores some of the brutality committed under colonial rule, including the horrific spectacle of people being executed by cannon in front of local communities. Yet amongst this darkness are carefully placed rays of light, preventing the production from becoming relentlessly heavy.
Interestingly, the work also draws Scotland into its examination of colonialism, raising questions about England’s historical relationship with Scotland and creating another lens through which to consider empire and oppression.
One idea particularly resonates: how little you know us to rule us. It encapsulates much of what this production interrogates the arrogance of colonial power and the distance between those governing and those being governed.
Kanpur 1857 takes history and turns it into a compelling piece of theatre. For audiences interested in Indian history, colonialism, identity or simply theatre that challenges the stories we think we know, this is well worth seeing.
★★★★☆