The Father and the Assassin London Reviews and Tickets
Member Reviews (10)
See it if you wanna see one of the best written and performed piece of theatre I've seen this year
Don't see it if not interested in a piece of a history no one knows about
See it if You like biographical theatre
Don't see it if You don't like wordy biopic plays
See it if Want an immersive insight into a key cultural point in India and Pakistans history. Love a play where history mets light heartedness
Don't see it if Want something serious and deep dive. Looking for a bold and impactful play.
See it if It told a true story of a sad piece of history in a way that was insightful and with some funny parts without dishonouring the story.
Don't see it if Some history was excluded but there is only so much that can be included
See it if you want a detailed historical play that’s brilliantly acted from start to finish- though slow and in depth sometimes to it’s own detriment.
Don't see it if you can’t sit through a fairly serious 2.5 hours, though the acting and the surprising injection of humour will make it easier to swallow.
See it if you don’t know the subject matter.
Don't see it if you can’t hold still for 2.5 hours. Read more
See it if You like a new view on history with heart, humour and grit
Don't see it if Violence offends and history not your thing
See it if You have an interest in the British Empire, Indian history or the impact of past events on the modern day.
Don't see it if You are in the mood for something light hearted (although there are lots of light moments in the show) as ultimately it is thought-provoking
Critic Reviews (14)
“Part meta-commentary, part historical epic, part character study, ’The Father and the Assassin’ should be seen as a definitive take on a moment in Indian and Pakistani politics that can still be felt today.”
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“Surprising in terms of its themes, there are some real laugh-out-loud lines of dialogue along with more powerful moments as the differing attitudes towards Partition are explored.”
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“Abeysekera’s command of the Olivier stage is effortless, bringing real intimacy to a sweeping production and a presence that is both tough and effeminate, a small man determined to make a big impact.”
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“Our populism-blighted present hovers over Chandrasekhar’s play as it presents us with the story of Godse, and of the painful birth of modern India.”
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"This is a history play, the modern resonances abound without ever being spelt out."
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The play is heavy on exposition but oddly short on dramatic substance. At the end, I felt I’d had a lot of history explained to me, rather than being immersed in it.
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It’s a tremendous piece of writing from Chandrasekhar and a titanic lead performance from Saraf. If the play has a potential flaw it’s that it could lose some steam in the history lesson-style bits.
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This is a fascinating, important evening, with valuably shaming moments of British imperial brutality ... Yet overall, it has the feel more of a useful dossier than an edge-of-your-seat drama
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