Born out of a dialogue between British and Bangladeshi theatre makers, Indigo Giant is a gripping, haunting new drama that sheds light on a forgotten moment in British history.

Set in Bengal under the British Raj, the play tells of how in the late 19th Century, to meet the world’s insatiable desire for the blue dye to feed the textile industry, vast swathes of the countryside were given over to the cultivation of the indigo plant. Farmers were forced to give over their land to cultivate this crop and atrocities committed by British triggered an extraordinary revolution that changed Bengal forever.

Against this backdrop, Indigo Giant charts the story of life-loving Sadhu Charan, an indigo farmer, who is newly married to Kshetromani. Together they share an idyllic happiness but when Rose, a British planter arrives, the creeping malignancy of the indigo system is exposed and the young newly weds’ optimism begins to crumble.

With echoes of the present day’s obsession with instant gratification and fast fashion, where exploitation, cheap labour and environmental harm continue unabated, Indigo Giant is a conversation with the ghosts of the past and our uncertain futures.

The cast of six comprises, Chirague Amarchande as Gopi/Supervisor, Subika Anwar-Khan as Rashida/Mina/Nabina, Adi Roy Bhattacharya as The Presence, Amy Tara as Kshetromani/Rupa, Thomas King as Rose and Diljohn Singh as Sadhu.

The performances at Birmingham Rep will also be accompanied by a chorus of local community artists.