In autumn 2007 the news was full of the legitimate peaceful pro-democracy demonstrations throughout Burma and of the military dictatorship’s extreme brutal reaction.

In spring 2008 Cyclone Nargis created a three metre tidal surge bringing death and devastation to the Irrawaddy Delta. The regime callously turned this natural disaster into a man-made catastrophe.

THE BURMA PLAY tells the backstory of Burma’s bloody struggle for independence from the British colonial era, of the coming to power of the dictator Ne Win in 1962, of the terrible massacres of 1988, of Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy’s landslide victory in 1990, and the unravelling of hope as this vote for democracy was crushed by the military dictatorship.

The play was inspired by a letter-writing campaign in 1996 by Amnesty International on behalf of two comedians, U Par Par Lay and U Lu Zaw of The Moustache Brothers of Mandalay, put in jail for telling jokes about the dictators. After more than five years in jail, both were released, but in the most recent crackdown, U Par Par Lay was arrested once again.

This play is supported by



There are many oppressive regimes across the world; however Burma presents a combination of circumstances that makes a compelling case for action. As such, and in line with the call from democratically-elected representatives of the Burmese people, The Co-operative does not trade with Burma, The Co-operative Travel has delisted the country as a tourist destination, and The Co-operative Bank will not finance any commercial organisation with a significant presence in Burma.