The Father

By Florian Zeller
Directed by Laura Ilinca
16th – 24th October 2026 at 8pm
Matinee on 24th at 2.30pm

1.5hrs approx. including one interval.

The room is familiar. The people are not.

Zeller’s play is not a study or a discussion of Alzheimer’s. It is more profoundly theatrical. It plunges the audience into the experience of dementia. It throws the switches in your brain.
Rated 5 out of 5
Susannah Clapp, The Guardian

André is intelligent, witty, proud, and fiercely determined to maintain his independence. But something is no longer quite right. Conversations seem to repeat. Familiar faces appear strangely altered. Objects disappear. Time shifts without warning. As his grip on reality becomes increasingly uncertain, those closest to him – especially his daughter Anne – struggle to navigate a world in which memory, identity, love and truth are all becoming unstable.

In The Father, acclaimed playwright Florian Zeller does something remarkable: rather than asking us to observe dementia from the outside, he places us inside André’s fragmented experience. The audience becomes trapped within his perspective, sharing his confusion, humour, fear, frustration – and moments of painful clarity.

Darkly funny, unsettling and profoundly moving, The Father is both an intimate family drama and a gripping theatrical exploration of perception itself. As relationships are tested and certainty slowly dissolves, the play asks difficult questions about dignity, care, autonomy – and what remains of a person when memory begins to disappear.

Tender, disorienting and deeply human, The Father is a powerful theatrical experience that lingers long after the final scene.

The Father won the 2014 Molière Award for Best Play, enjoyed major critical acclaim in Paris, London and New York, and later inspired the Academy Award-winning film adaptation.

Get Your Tickets

Fri, 16th Oct 2026 at 8pm
Sat, 17th Oct 2026 at 8pm
Mon, 19th Oct 2026 at 8pm
Tue, 20th Oct 2026 at 8pm
Wed, 21st Oct 2026 at 8pm
Thurs, 22nd Oct 2026 at 8pm
Fri, 23rd Oct 2026 at 8pm
Sat, 24th Oct 2026 at 2.30pm
Sat, 24th Oct 2026 at 8pm

CAST & CREATIVE TEAM

Directed by
Laura Ilinca

CREATIVE TEAM

Production Manager
Stage Manager
Assistant Stage Manager
Set Dressing
AV Design
Lighting Design
Lighting Operator
Rehearsal Photography
Production Photography

MEDIA & REVIEWS​

Zeller’s play is not a study or a discussion of Alzheimer’s. It is more profoundly theatrical. It plunges the audience into the experience of dementia. It throws the switches in your brain.
Rated 5 out of 5
Susannah Clapp, The Guardian
An unqualified triumph.
Rated 5 out of 5
Dominic Cavendish, The Telegraph
A thought-provoking, beautiful piece of theatre… suddenly [the audience] sees through the eyes of one man… both beautiful and unsettling.
Kara Taylor Alberts, West End Wilma
Sad, raw and unexpectedly very funny in parts… combining honest, astute writing with clever staging.
Cambridge Edition

DON'T FORGET, COMING UP AT THE BARN SOON​

CONTENT WARNING

Opening5th September
Opening6th September
Opening20th September

 

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Welcoming Everyone Into Our Community

The Father

The Father does not contain a specific diversity message within its narrative, nor does the playwright make race, ethnicity or gender identity central to the story. The play’s core concerns are memory, perception, family relationships, ageing, dignity and care. This production will approach casting with openness and artistic judgement, prioritising emotional truth, strong relationships between characters, and the needs of the story. While certain roles may suggest age or familial dynamics, we welcome performers from diverse backgrounds and will seek to create an inclusive audition and rehearsal environment. Given the play’s subject matter, we are also mindful of accessibility and audience sensitivity around experiences of dementia, ageing and caregiving, recognising that these themes affect people across all communities and backgrounds.

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