The father and the assassin

'Our wars may come in many forms. On the battlefields. Within ourselves.' Mahatma Gandhi: lawyer, champion of non-violence, beloved leader. Nathuram Godse: journalist, nationalist - and the man who murdered him. Anupama Chandrasekhar's play The Father and the Assassin traces Godse's life over thirty 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. An essential exploration of oppression and extremism, this gripping play opened at the National Theatre, London, in May 2022, directed by Indhu Rubasingham. It was a finalist for the 2022-23 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize.