Mohan: A Partition Story
★★★★★ Relevant
Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33): Tue 18 – Mon 31 Aug 2026
Review by Ed Boulter-Comer
The seeming simplicity of Mohan: A Partition Story, at Above in the Pleasance Courtyard, belies the depth, intelligence and sheer skill that work this good requires.
Creator and performer Niall Moorjani retells their own grandfather’s experience of living through the partition of India in 1947. That is all there is to it, and yet in Moorjani’s expert hands it becomes a profound and important piece of theatre whose time has come.
Mohan. Pic: supplied.
This is not the first iteration of the piece, having been created three years ago, co-produced by Moorjani and Jasmine Cole productions, but as Moorjani explains, they have not been able to let it go. The themes of migration, social division imposed on a populace and the cavalier attitude of the powerful towards the experiences of ordinary people have never been more pertinent.
Moorjani is a storyteller of the first order. Drawing on the huge history of the oral tradition in both India and Europe, they pepper the work with epithets and kennings. This gives both structure and a sense of recognition that makes the events retold by turns haunting and strangely comforting.
The transition into the character of their grandfather is dealt with by sitting, donning a scarf and pushing on a kara. The moment the bangle takes to clear Moorjani’s wrist each time, marks the instance of change beautifully.
deft sensitivity
The words are illustrated and accompanied by the sounds of the tabla played with deft sensitivity by Sodhi, who developed the piece alongside Moorjani. His musicianship is undeniable and the insistent, subtle drumming brings a sense of place, peace or danger as necessary.
Despite the enormity of the events it covers, this is warm-hearted stuff. Moorjani asserts that their grandfather would never want someone to be uncomfortable because of his story. That is not to say that Moorjani does not leave us without a sense of responsibility but perhaps a responsibility for how we go forward, rather than a retrospective guilt.
Moorjani says that Mohan: A Partition Story is one story in twelve million. You would have to scour the Fringe for a story that is better told, more thoughtful or more relevant
Running time: One hour (no interval).
Pleasance Courtyard (Above), 60 Pleasance, EH8 9TJ (Venue 33).
Tuesday 18 – Monday 31 August 2026.
Daily: 3.25pm.
Tickets and details: Book here at EdFringe.com.
Tickets direct from venue: Book here.
Production website: jasminecoleproductions.co.uk
Facebook: @niall.moorjani
Instagram: @niallmoorjani
Linktree: @niallmoorjani.
ENDS
