- Felicity Kendal stars as Mrs Swan in a poignant revival of Tom Stoppard’s Indian Ink at Hampstead theatre.
- Jonathan Kent directs a production that foregrounds grief, love and literary legacy after Stoppard’s death.
- Ruby Ashbourne Serkis and Gavi Singh Chera deliver strong supporting turns in the play’s dual timeframes.
- The revival runs at Hampstead theatre until 31 January.
H2: Quick overview
A fortnight after the theatre world marked Tom Stoppard’s death, Hampstead theatre has opened a revival of his 1995 play Indian Ink. The production — directed by Jonathan Kent — feels like an especially resonant first staging since the playwright’s passing. At its heart is Felicity Kendal, who originated roles in early performances and now returns to play Mrs Swan with a performance reviewers call formidable and tender.
H3: What the production delivers
Indian Ink interweaves two periods: the 1980s, where an American academic seeks the papers of a vanished poet, and the Edwardian era, when Flora Crewe travels to India and forms an ill-fated relationship with a local artist. Stoppard’s script, born from a radio play, moves between these times with metronomic cross-fades that underscore questions of memory, misreading and cultural misunderstanding.
Kendal’s Mrs Swan anchors the modern strand. Her quick shifts between steel and sweetness give the role emotional weight, culminating in a scene at a writer’s grave that resonates strongly in the current moment. Ruby Ashbourne Serkis plays Flora with a mix of wit and melancholy, while Gavi Singh Chera is powerful as Nirad Das, the artist whose love and political frustrations complicate the story.
H3: Direction, design and themes
Jonathan Kent’s staging keeps the play’s formal intricacies clear without draining its feeling. The production balances Stoppard’s intellect with unexpected warmth — a reminder that his plays often carry deep notes of grief and love alongside their verbal agility. The ensemble supports Kendal well: Donald Sage Mackay mischievously populates the auditorium as Eldon Pike, the academic, and Irvine Iqbal doubles convincingly as Indian figures across eras.
Visually and rhythmically, the show recalls its radio origins: scene transitions are precise and musical, allowing the audience to feel the play’s oscillation between private recollection and public history. The drama also examines the perils of biography and criticism — a running critique of those who distort a writer’s life for sensational narratives.
H4: Why this revival matters
Stoppard’s late play has always asked how we remember artists and how cultural encounters are misread or romanticised. Presented now, after his death, Indian Ink reads like an epitaph that is both affectionate and clear-eyed. Kendal’s performance, given her long history with the play, feels especially apt: it connects the original production to this elegiac moment in the theatre.
H5: Practical info
Indian Ink is at Hampstead theatre, London, and runs until 31 January. Tickets and performance details are available on the venue’s website.
This revival offers a moving reminder of Tom Stoppard’s gifts: sharp theatrical craft married to a humane curiosity about language, love and the ways history is told.
Image Referance: https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2025/dec/16/indian-ink-review-felicity-kendal-is-formidable-in-emotional-epitaph-for-tom-stoppard