The Father

by Florian Zeller, translated by Christopher Hampton

The Father had 4 performances over 1 year ago (between the 26th of July 2023 and the 29th of July 2023) at The Riverhouse Barn

194th Production. This play is a gripping psychological drama seen through the eyes of the protagonist.

As Andre’s dementia seeks to overwhelm him, he struggles to retain control of his life and make sense of his changing circumstances. He steadfastly tries to resist help and assistance from his daughter Anne, while his mind slowly loses its grip on reality. As the play unfolds, he increasingly begins to doubt the validity of the support offered by those close to him, and the fabric of his own existence begins to ebb away. His memories become more fractured and ability to assess what is real becomes more tenuous, as gradually he is reduced to a shrunken shadow of his former self.

This thought-provoking play allows us a unique insight into the world of dementia through the eyes of the Father. It is an astonishingly unguarded play about the cruelties of love and the limits of patience, and the way child-parent relationships become inverted with old age.

The Father by Florian Zeller translated by Christopher Hampton, was commissioned by the Ustinov Studio, Theatre Royal, Bath and premiered in October 2014. The production transferred to the Tricycle Theatre, London, in May 2015, and subsequently to Wyndham’s Theatre in the West End. The Father was awarded the Moliere Award for Best Play and the Olivier and Tony Awards for Best Actor.

The play will run without an interval - approximately 90 minutes.