What a stirring moment at the National. Indhu Rubasingham’s awful product of The Father and the Homicide puts on stage an important piece of history, an arresting particular story and a vital, distinctive theatrical language ” The Observer ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ The National Theatre moment released images for Anupama Chandrasekhar’s critically acclaimed The Father and the homicide, directed by the Kiln Theatre’s Cultural Director, Indhu Rubasingham. This gripping new play by one of India’s most instigative playwrights, returns to the Olivier Theatre from 8 September.
Mahatma Gandhi’s counsel, champion of non-violence, cherished leader. Nathuram Godse intelligencer, nationalist – and the man who boggled Gandhi. This gripping play traces Godse’s life over 30 times during India’s fight for independence from a devout follower of Gandhi, through to his radicalisation and their woeful final hassle in Delhi in 1948. 2022 Olivier Award- winner Hiran Abeysekera( Life of Pi, Sheffield Theatres/ Simon Friend Entertainment)) will play the part of Nathuram Godse with Paul Bazely( Cruella, Disney) reprising his part as Mahatma Gandhi.
The cast also includes Azan Ahmed( The Tempest, Shakespeare Globe), Ravi Aujla( The Lehman Trilogy, National Theatre/ Neal Street Productions), Ayesha Dharker( Chasing Hares, Young Vic), Marc Elliott( She Loves Me, Sheffield Theatres), Ravin J Ganatra( When Winston went to War with the Wireless, Donmar Warehouse), Raj Ghatak( The Kite Runner, UK Productions/ Flying Entertainment), Sasha Ghoshal( Bend it Like Beckham the Musical, Starvox Ents), Halema Hussain( Does My Bomb Look Big In This?
Tamasha Theatre), Nadeem Islam( Antigone, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Tony Jayawardena( East is East, Birmingham REP National Theatre), Aysha Kala( The Motive and the Cue, National Theatre), Nicholas Khan( Life of Pai, Simon Friend Entertainment), Raj Khera, Hari Mackinnon( The Cherry Orchard, Yard Theatre/ ETT/ HOME), Johndeep further( The awful Story of Henry Sugar, Perth Theatre), Aryana Ramkhalawon( Exodus, National Theatre of Scotland), Sid Sagar( Cabaret, ATG/ Underbelly) and Akshay Shah( Kabul Goes Pop, Hope Mill Theatre). Anupama Chandrasekhar is an Indian playwright and screenwriter grounded in Chennai.
The Father and the Homicide was nominated for the Evening Standard Theatre Awards for Stylish Play( 2022) and was a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize( 2023). Her work has been produced in India, Europe and North America. In 2016 – 17, she became the first International Playwright- in Residence at the National Theatre Studio. Plays include When the Crows Visit( Kiln Theatre); The Snow Queen( Unicorn Theatre/ Trestle Theatre); Disconnect( Royal Court Theatre internationally) and Free gregarious( Royal Court Theatre/ Traverse Theatre).