Copenhagen centres around the mysterious visit of physicist
Werner Heisenberg to the Copenhagen home of Niels Bohr, his old mentor.
Heisenberg was in a potentially powerful position in the German nuclear
program. Bohr on the other hand was half-Jew, still a highly respected
physicist, but in a dangerous position in occupied Denmark. What did these
two men say to each other? Why did Heisenberg go? What did he hope to
gain? The play explores these questions through the reminiscences of Heisenberg,
Bohr and Bohr's wife, all now dead. They go over and over the fateful
evening, discussing it and re-enacting it, trying to remember and to understand.
The dialogue is filled with physics, complementing and describing the
emotional relationships in a complex way. Although some familiarity with
quantum physics might assist the audience member, even a novice should
enjoy the interplay between the physics of atoms and the physics of people.
A three-hander such as this requires strong performances, and these are
evident in spades. The staging is extremely simple, allowing the full
focus of the production to fall upon the performances. The action takes
place in the round, giving the play a very intimate feel which suits the
relationships between the characters perfectly. Colin Burnie as Bohr is
perfectly cast as the fatherly figure, often described by Heisenberg as
the Pope of theoretical physics. He is protective of his protégé
but also forcefully sticks by his own interpretations of the physics and
events. Pransanna Purwanarajah gives an excellent performance as Heisenberg,
trapped in his own Uncertainty Principle, not able to know both what he
did and why he did it at the same time, but still struggling for understanding.
Completing the triptych is Laura Murray as Bohr's wife Margrethe, bringing
the theory back down to the human level, passionate in her support of
her husband and her interpretation of the events of 1941. The relationships
seem completely natural, the arguments are determined and passionate,
the play captivating. Some performances are already sold out, but if you
can snag a ticket then this is not to be missed.
Jo Charman, 04.02.03
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