The Father and the Assassin
by Anupama Chandrasekhar
Booking and details
This production played in the Olivier Theatre from 8 September to 14 October 2023.
Mahatma Gandhi: lawyer, champion of non-violence, beloved leader.
Nathuram Godse: journalist, nationalist – and the man who murdered Gandhi.
This gripping play traces Godse’s life over 30 years during India’s fight for independence: from a devout follower of Gandhi, through to his radicalisation and their tragic final encounter in Delhi in 1948.
Director Indhu Rubasingham (Kerry Jackson, The Great Wave) reunites with Anupama Chandrasekhar, one of India’s most exciting playwrights, for this essential exploration of oppression and extremism, featuring Olivier Award-winner Hiran Abeysekera (Life of Pi) as Nathuram Godse with Paul Bazely (Cruella) as Mahatma Gandhi.
Performed 8 September — 14 October 2023 in the Olivier Theatre.
Reviews
‘A must-watch’
Broadway World
‘What a stirring moment at the National.
An extraordinary production.’
Observer
‘Brilliantly entertaining. A production that has magic to spare.’
Time Out
‘An exhilarating, epic play’
Financial Times
‘Gripping’
Guardian
‘Excellent. Staged with great style’
Mail on Sunday
‘An extraordinary performance’
The Stage
Gallery
Production images
In rehearsal
Suitability
Please note: This production features gunshots, descriptions of extreme violence and themes that some may find distressing, including religious discrimination.
Supporters
This play is a recipient of an Edgerton Foundation New Plays Award.
This production is supported by the Red Butterfly Foundation.
Cast
Hiran Abeysekera
For the National: The Father and the Assassin, Behind the Beautiful Forevers and War Horse at the Proms (also for the BBC and Royal Albert Hall
Azan Ahmed
For the National: The Father and the Assassin and Jack Absolute Flies Again
Ravi Aujla
For the National: The Father and the Assassin and Wicked Yaar!
Paul Bazely
For the National: The Father and the Assassin, ANNA, Really Old Like Forty-Five, Hamlet, The Waiting Room, Haroun and the Sea of Stories and Richard III.
Ayesha Dharker
For the National: The Father and the Assassin, Pericles and The Ramayana
Marc Elliott
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
Marc Elliott
Ravin J Ganatra
For the National: The Father of the Assassin; For the National Theatre Studio: Aurengzebe and Voices on the Wind
Raj Ghatak
For the National: The Father and the Assassin
Sasha Ghoshal
For the National: The Father and the Assassin
Halema Hussain
For the National: The Father and the Assassin
Nadeem Islam
For the National: The Father and the Assassin
Tony Jayawardena
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre), The Father and the Assassin, East is East, London Assurance, All’s Well That Ends Well and England People Very Nice
Aysha Kala
For the National: The Motive and the Cue and The Welkin
Nicholas Khan
For the National Theatre: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre), The Father and the Assassin, The Beaux Stratagem and Dara
Raj Khera
For the National: The Father and the Assassin
Hari Mackinnon
For the National: The Father and the Assassin
Johndeep More
For the National: The Father and the Assassin, Macbeth for Younger Audiences and The Winter’s Tale for Younger Audiences
Aryana Ramkhalawon
For the National: The Father and the Assassin
Sid Sagar
Narayan Apte
Sid Sagar
Akshay Shah
For the National: The Father and the Assassin
Production team
Writer
Anupama Chandrasekhar
Anupama Chandrasekhar
Anupama Chandrasekhar is an Indian playwright and screenwriter based in Chennai.
Director
Indhu Rubasingham
Indhu Rubasingham
Indhu Rubasingham was the Artistic Director of Kiln Theatre for over 10 years. She started in 2012 and oversaw a £9 million major renovation of the building which reopened in 2018.
Set and Costume Designer
Rajha Shakiry
Rajha Shakiry
For the National Theatre: The Hot Wing King, The Father and the Assassin, Trouble in Mind, ‘Master Harold’… and the boys and Nine Night (also West End)
Lighting Designer
Oliver Fenwick
Oliver Fenwick
For the National Theatre: Dear Octopus, The Father and the Assassin, Blues for an Alabama Sky, Kerry Jackson, Tartuffe – the Imposter, The Great Wave, Ugly Lies the Bone, The Motherf*cker with the Hat, The Holy Rosenbergs and Happy Now
Movement Director
Lucy Cullingford
Lucy Cullingford
For the National Theatre: Dear Octopus, The Father and the Assassin, All of Us, Death of England and The Winter’s Tale
Composer
Siddhartha Khosla
Siddhartha Khosla
Siddhartha Khosla is a six-time Emmy-nominated film and television composer, singer/songwriter, and producer of the critically acclaimed band, Goldspot.
Additional Music
David Shrubsole
David Shrubsole
For the National Theatre: Dear Octopus, The Father and the Assassin, The Great Wave, My Country; a work in progress, The Threepenny Opera, Table, London Road, The Magistrate, She Stoops to Conquer, Major Barbara, The Enchantment, The Alchemist and My Fair Lady
Sound Designer
Alexander Caplen
Alexander Caplen
For the National: The Father and the Assassin, The Great Wave, My Country; a work in progress, We Want You to Watch, Hotel; and, as associate sound designer, Translations, Follies and People, Places & Things (also in the West End and at St Ann’s Warehouse)
Fight Director
Kate Waters
Kate Waters
For the National Theatre: The Grapes of Wrath, The Effect, Much Ado About Nothing, Small Island, Salomé, The Plough and the Stars, Othello, As You Like It, Rules for Living, Our Country’s Good, Dara, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (also West End) and War Horse (also West End)
Casting Director
Alastair Coomer CDG
Alastair Coomer CDG
For the National Theatre: over 50 productions including The Grapes of Wrath, Mnemonic (2024), Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre), Till the Stars Come Down, The House of Bernarda Alba, Othello, The Crucible (also West End), Blues for an Alabama Sky, The Corn is Green, The Normal Heart, The Welkin, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Mosquitoes, This House, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, One Man, Two Guvnors and War Horse
Dialect Coach
Shereen Ibrahim
Shereen Ibrahim
For the National Theatre: company voice work includes The Grapes of Wrath, Underdog: The Other Other Brontë, Dear Octopus, Dear England, Dixon and Daughters, The Odyssey, Hamlet, The Crucible, Jack Absolute Flies Again and The Father and the Assassin (also dialect work); dialect work for Standing at the Sky’s Edge, All of Us and Our Generation; and acting work in The Black Album and The Hour We Knew Nothing of Each Other
Company Voice Work
Jeannette Nelson
Jeannette Nelson
Jeannette Nelson has worked extensively as a voice coach in theatre, film and TV.
Associate Set and Costume Designer
Staff Director
Dramaturg
Emily McLaughlin
Emily McLaughlin
Emily McLaughlin is the Head of Development for Fictionhouse.