The Father, the powerful new play at North Coast Rep, will definitely hit close to home for many baby boomers dealing with elderly parents.
Christopher Hampton’s acclaimed play centers around Andre (James Sutorious), a proud old man suffering from advancing dementia. He is still living on his own in his Paris apartment, where his latest caregiver has walked out after being insulted by him.
The play opens with Andre’s daughter, Anne (Robyn Cohen), trying to convince him that he can’t live on his own anymore. Of course, Andre doesn’t understand why she thinks that, despite the fact that he can’t ever seem to find his watch, he doesn’t remember much and he’s confused about his surroundings and the people who enter them.
But Anne can’t be fully responsible for him, and it’s obvious that there’s no solution that will please everyone.
It’s a real coup for North Coast Rep to be granted the West Coast premiere of The Father, which won the Olivier Award for Best Play in London and which received a Tony nomination on Broadway. (Frank Langella did win the Tony for Best Leading Actor in a Play for his performance as Andre.)
Director David Ellenstein doesn’t take that honor lightly, rising to the challenge of placing the audience squarely inside Andre’s head.
That’s where the source of all the drama lies, and being there is a pretty harrowing experience.
Scenes take place and when they’re acknowledged by Andre, they’re then discredited by other characters. “But he’s right,” you’re thinking to yourself. “That just happened.” Didn’t it?
The play is disorienting and confusing and, because that must be exactly how Andre feels, pretty brilliant.
It’s what makes it hard to watch — and impossible to look away.
The Father will be playing at North Coast Rep through June 24. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the North Coast Rep website.
All photos by Aaron Rumley.
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