The Father at Oldham Coliseum

The Father at Oldham Coliseum, Manchester, 16 June–1 July 2017, from £14.50 - Book now

The Father is an unusual play because just when you think the scene has been set, the story suddenly changes. The reason for this is Andre, an 80-year-old whose dementia has made him a rather unreliable narrator. Was he a dancer, an engineer or something else? He can’t quite remember.

As for his family, they’re doing their best to show him love…but he’s becoming a burden. Exactly what should happen to people who we love and care for once they are no longer able to look after themselves?

It’s a question that many families face as lives last longer and longer, and The Father deals with the topic with great sensitivity. As a result, it’s won a slew of awards on both Broadway and in the West End. Now it’s on at Oldham Coliseum, with Kenneth Alan Taylor in the lead role.

A King Lear for the 21st century, The Father provides an intelligent and moving insight into the problems of ageing.