The Father and the Assassin

by Anupama Chandrasekhar
National Theatre (Olivier), London

Nathuram Godse. Does the name ring a bell? 

Not much is known about the man who killed Gandhi, one of the most revered figures in Indian history. Playwright Anupama Chandrasekhar's 'why-dunnit' seeks to explore the life of this man: being brought up as a girl to avoid the wrath of the Goddess Durga who claimed the life of his siblings, his formative years as an ardent admirer of Gandhi and finally the event that changed his outlook and set him on a path that would alter the course of history forever. 

Director Indhu Rubasingham's production is taut and sweeping, bringing together a talented cast led by the magnetic Shubham Singham as Godse. The play takes its liberties with history and is perhaps organised too neatly into thematic beats but remains smooth and compelling. Very glad to have caught this limited run as part of the National Theatre's spring season.

The Crystalwords score: 3.5/5