Unless you are someone with a keen interest in theoretical physics, the Uncertainty Theory or in World War II history, Werner Heisenberg, Niels Bohr and Margarethe Bohr are not people you are likely to know about. But when you do get to know them, they are three fascinating people from the vast annals of History. Heisenberg was a German scientist who was involved in the research of atomic technology for his country during the second world war; Bohr's nuclear research was fundamental in building the atomic bomb and Margarethe, Bohr's wife, was someone to whom the senior scientist (from Denmark) would try explaining complex ideas in "plain language." COPENHAGEN by Michael Frayn, essentially revolves around the controversial meeting between Heisenberg and Bohr in 1941, when the race to build nuclear weapons was at its peak.
The basis of the play, though undoubtably complex, is fascinating, especially for those with an interest in war history. The relationship between the two scientists is humanely depicted, inspite of all the laboratory jargon they throw at you. The responsibility of working on and developing weapons out of their research weighs heavily on the two. And, most interestingly, it's not just moral responsibility in terms of the number of lives that were eventually lost to the bomb. The patriotic Heisenberg's predicament -- of being one of the few capable scientists in Germany who could give Hitler the means to create nuclear arms (most other theoretical physicists, including Einstein, working on similar project in America were Jews who had to flee from Germany) -- gives the play its most poignant moments.
So many decades later, it's perhaps easier to look back at the events that led to the nuclear bombings from so many perspectives because the two scientists can't come up with an agreeable "draft" of what happened in Copenhagen in 1941. In the end, the answer to Margarethe's question -- Why did he (Heisenberg) come to Copenhagen? -- does not matter beyond a point because the three tell us so much more through their discussions.
There is a scene in the play when Heisenberg calls his mentor "the Pope". Bohr earned the title because of his over reaching influence on the subject of theoretical physics. We'd borrow the title of the senior scientist and bestow it upon actor Tom Alter who plays him. After a good performance the most you'd do is commend the actor but I'd do a sashtang dandwat before Alter for his portrayal of Bohr. The 60-year-old actor beautifully takes the audience through the many emotions he goes through and during his discussions with his wife.
This a verbose play, mind you, and that makes it all the more difficult for the audience to find a connect but Alter, while assuring the junior scientist, essayed by Vivek Tandon, also seems to give us an assurance that we'll eventually get what's happening on stage. That's probably why a few fumbles of his are forgiven but Vivek Tandon's many, many fumbles and jumbles spoil the play. It's as it is difficult to keep up with the many drafts and Tandon fumbling along in his portrayal of Heisenberg, does not make things easy. But we hope that these are just teething troubles in the production of a fine play, that has been directed by Avaan Patel. Watch this one because it'll make you think.
*Charulata enjoys watching theatre, and writing about it.
