pbeck@ARDEC.ARPA.UUCP (08/13/87)
RE: TURING PLAYS The NJ section of the NY Times of Aug 2, 1987 on page 8 had an article on two plays based on Turing's life. They are: "A MOST SECRET WAR" by Kevin Paterson which was performed from july 30 - aug 9 at the Philip J Levin Theater in New Brunswick as part of the Rutgers Summerfest and 'BREAKING THE CODE" by Hugh Whitmore scheduled to open on Broadway Nov 15. I have not read nor seen the plays. peter beck <pbeck@ardec.arpa> -------
Messenger.SBDERX@XEROX.COM.UUCP (08/14/87)
>The NJ section of the NY Times of Aug 2, 1987 on page 8 had an article on two >plays based on Turing's life. They are: "A MOST SECRET WAR" by Kevin Paterson >which was performed from july 30 - aug 9 at the Philip J Levin Theater in New >Brunswick as part of the Rutgers Summerfest and 'BREAKING THE CODE" by Hugh >Whitmore scheduled to open on Broadway Nov 15." > >I have not read nor seen the plays. > >peter beck <pbeck@ardec.arpa> I saw "Breaking The Code" at the Haymarket Theatre in London, with Derek Jacobi (of "I, Claudius" fame) playing The Man Himself. What similarity this bears to the Broadway version about to open I don't know. The authors have attempted to be as factual as possible and have interviewed everyone they can find who knew Turing. They have included all of the remaining transcripts of Turings speeches, the most noticable of which is the "consider a bowl of porridge" speech he gave at his old school. His life is traced in a series of shortish episodes spanning from his schooldays to his death, using to good effect quick scene changing and flash back techniques. His ideas, philosophy and hopes for the Universal Computing Machine are put across very well, although the outright technical content is low. For what would on the face of it appear to be a minority interest play it attracted a good deal of critical acclaim and played to full houses for many months. I thouroughly enjoyed it, and found it thought provoking and not a little disturbing. The portrayal of his homosexuality, the court case and subsequent "treatment" for his "illness" was particularly well done. The script is a character actors dream, and Derek Jacobi took full advantage of it - I came away feeling that I had met Turing in all his egocentric glory. Don't miss it. -- Hugh