The Only Brown Deaf Man in England at Mercury Theatre, Colchester Review
Nadeem Islam in The Only Brown Deaf Man in England. Photo: Will Green
Written and performed by Nadeem Islam, The Only Brown Deaf Man in England follows the life of Rajkumar, a Deaf Bengali man with a true love for cricket, who flees genocide to England in the 1970s during the Bangladesh Liberation War. From Bangladesh to Brick Lane and beyond, the show tells the story of how his life unfolds as he navigates the challenges, contradictions and unexpected moments of humour that come with it.
The story is told through a combination of British Sign Language, fluid movement and visual subtitles projected above Islam. Using his body language, clear actions and signed names to distinguish between characters, Islam effortlessly portrays multiple people throughout the show. Even without prior context for the characters or the situations unfolding around him, his incredible acting, expressive movements and subtle sounds make each scene clear. Even when portraying multiple characters in the same scene, it is easy to follow exactly what is happening.
Throughout the performance, Islam uses cricket as a metaphor for the trials and tribulations of life, with Rajkumar approaching each new challenge like a batsman at the crease. Not only does this provide a natural way to break up the 75-minute show, which runs without an interval, but it also creates clear transitions between the different decades of the story.
Touching on the impact of 9/11 and 7/7 on Rajkumar and his community, the show offers a real insight into the isolation he experiences, not only because of his racial and religious identity, but also as a Deaf man. As he drifts away from friends from his Deaf school and becomes reluctant to visit the local Deaf centre, we see how difficult it can be to find a sense of belonging when you feel disconnected from the communities around you.
Performed in the Mercury Theatre’s 98-seat Studio, the intimate space was perfect for this production. As much as I’d love for as many people as possible to see this show, it works incredibly well in such a small theatre, allowing the audience to feel truly immersed in Rajkumar’s story whilst also creating opportunities for moments of audience interaction.
Although the show explores themes of war, racism, violence, migration and loss, these are balanced beautifully with humour, raw emotion and moments for reflection. Through its inventive visual storytelling and Islam’s captivating performance, The Only Brown Deaf Man in England is a funny, moving and thought-provoking piece of theatre that brings Rajkumar’s story to life in a truly unique way.
★★★★★
Written by Eleanor for Theatre and Tonic, October 2026.