An exciting play that explores the life of the controversial Cambridge character, and arguably the greatest scientist of his era, Sir Isaac Newton, is to be performed as part of the University’s 800th anniversary celebrations.
An exciting play that explores the life of the controversial Cambridge character, and arguably the greatest scientist of his era, Sir Isaac Newton, is to be performed as part of the University’s 800th anniversary celebrations.
'Let Newton Be!' is a verbatim play scripted entirely from letters, notes, published and unpublished works of Newton and his contemporaries.
Playwright Craig Baxter, whose work has been broadcast on BBC Radio 4, has created a compelling narrative that portrays Newton from his childhood, through his time as a scholar at Cambridge, to his later years.
A public performance of the play will take place on Friday 23rd October at 7:30pm at the Robinson Theatre, Hills Road Sixth Form College. On Thursday 22nd October at 5:30pm, all university members will be able to watch the play at the Lady Mitchell Hall, Sidgwick Site. Entrance to this performance is free and no tickets are required, there will also be a drinks reception afterwards.
Newton dominated British and European science in the early 1700's, and his book 'Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica' is considered to be among the most influential books in the history of science for its foundation of classical mechanics and law of universal gravitation.
Living and working in Cambridge for 35 years, Newton became known for his difficult character and bitter arguments with other scientists. This new production seeks to convey the entirety of this complex, comical, driven and vulnerable man.
The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion commissioned the play. Dr Denis Alexander, the Institute's director said: 'Isaac Newton is one of the University's most iconic scientists, yet his own weaving together of science, alchemy and theology, is so different from the way we think in the 21st century, that perhaps only through drama can the full impact of his life and work be fully appreciated'.
There will be four performances in total. The first two performances at Trinity, Newton's own college, on Tuesday 20th October and Wednesday 21st October, are exclusively for College members and special guests.
The university members’ performance on the Thursday 22nd October will be followed by a discussion led by Newton expert Professor Robert Iliffe.
Professor Iliffe teaches Intellectual History and the History of Science at the University of Sussex. He is Editorial Director of the online Newton Project and has published and edited a number of books on Newton.
The public performance of the play taking place on Friday 23rd October will be followed by a discussion led by Patricia Fara of the Department of History and Philosophy of Science, Cambridge University.
Tickets for the public performance are available through The Junction Box Office, link above right.
Plans are also being made to take the play on tour throughout the UK and US in 2010.
The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion is an interdisciplinary research enterprise based at St. Edmund's college, Cambridge; the Institute have commissioned Menagerie Theatre Company to write and produce Let Newton Be! as a stage play.
The Menagerie Theatre Company, based in Cambridge is the leading independent new writing company in the East of England.
The play has been designed by Issam Kourbaj, Artist in Residence at Christ's College, Cambridge.
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