An Izzy Ontario Theatre Review: bol, brown boy, bol Spring Tour 2026 at the Grand Theatre
by Izzy Siebert
Based on playwright-performer Nawaaz Makhani’s life experiences as a South Asian Canadian man, bol, brown boy, bol offers a welcoming embrace without shying away from difficult topics. This touring production reaches beyond performance to invite the audience into an evening built around connection, culture, and ongoing healing.
I caught the show at the Grand Theatre’s Auburn Stage in London, Ontario, before it travels to Aki Studio in May, returning to the city where it premiered at the Toronto Fringe Festival and won the North (519): Best of Toronto Fringe Award in 2024. Directed by Tiffany Wu, 2026’s touring production finds Nawaaz further along the path of reconnecting with parts of himself he once pushed away.
At the centre of that journey is the tabla, a Northern Indian percussion instrument consisting of two hand drums. A gentle teacher, Nawaaz, starts by introducing the instrument and its system of spoken rhythm syllables called bols. Learning tabla takes years of intensive study, yet Nawaaz lends the audience his ear so we understand the basics of this complex instrument. The tabla becomes deeply personal as it weaves throughout a one-act solo show that blends storytelling and music.
Balancing humour and heavier moments, Nawaaz brings authenticity to each life stage he depicts. As an enthusiastic kid, he nurtures big dreams, writing letters to Bollywood star Salman Khan and becoming fascinated by the tabla. Nawaaz’s portrayal of his younger self is endearing, which makes the following shift difficult to watch. As he faces racism ranging from blatant attacks to subtle comments, the open-hearted kid closes himself off until, dressed in chains and posturing for an audience, he abandons his identity to gain acceptance.
This show’s strength lies in how its time-spanning structure reveals the insidious effects of internalized racism. Nawaaz’s sense of self fractures in a process that begins in youth and has devastating effects that follow him into adulthood. In an act that must be vulnerable to render onstage, adult Nawaaz taps into a loneliness that a past version of him felt and makes this disconnect present for the audience. However, the story doesn’t end there.
A path towards recovery opens when Nawaaz starts studying tabla with a guru and reconnects with himself and his culture. The first half of bol, brown boy, bol lays a strong character foundation before letting these tabla lessons and performances take the narrative lead. By then, I was fully invested in Nawaaz’s story. It felt like witnessing his personal journey unfold through the playing rather than watching a man learn an instrument.
In terms of staging, the set is divided into three spaces: a childhood bedroom cluttered with posters, a table draped in fabric, and a patterned rug where the tabla is played on the ground. Despite the Auburn Stage’s intimate size, I found it occasionally difficult to see the drums, though their resonance and sound remained mesmerizing. I caught myself leaning forward to catch the details of Nawaaz’s captivating playing sequences.
Around him, Lindsay Murray’s lighting paints rich colours, shifting through a range of effects from magical purples and aggressive reds to warm washes and cool spotlights. The changes reflect emotional beats in the story, expanding and shrinking Nawaaz’s world as he faces new challenges and opportunities.
Projections on the back wall add further context, with one of the most effective choices being the use of subtitles during family conversations. Embedded in a story about the importance of culture, the presence of language matters. Lines in Gujarati are also often followed by tabla playing, the drums echoing the language’s rhythm and allowing the audience to listen in a new way. Elsewhere, occasional lines and cultural references are left untranslated, but the surrounding context means even audience members who lack the shared background like myself don’t feel left behind.
By the end of the show, Nawaaz situates himself in the present. We realize this production is the next step on his path, proving art can be deeply healing. All elements of performance are stripped away, and he directly addresses the audience with powerful honesty. By speaking as though the viewers are friends who will hold him and his story safely, we become just that.
The atmosphere of community care extends beyond the stage, creating a radically welcoming theatre experience from start to finish. Ticket prices are on a sliding scale, and the performance is sensory-friendly with house lights remaining dim and movement encouraged. Extensive digital resources include access guides, venue information, and an audio description primer. These details radiate care and attention, revealing a production that tangibly prioritizes accessibility rather than simply touching on it.
Deepening the connection with the audience, every show is followed by a relaxed talkback with Nawaaz and members of the production team. Far from ending when the applause does, the evening keeps the conversation going. The warm feeling follows out into the lobby afterwards as the audience is invited to connect over complimentary chai from a local restaurant.
bol, brown boy, bol’s resounding message is one of hope, rooted in the healing found through art and community rather than isolation and assimilation. It’s a truth that felt very present in the evening at London’s Grand Theatre and resonated beyond the performance itself.
