By CHRIS LOVELL
Web Editor
A gentle soundscape of classical piano fills the theatre as patrons enter the intimate performance space centered on a fragmented stage covered in mathematical equations. As the house lights begin to dim, an amalgamation of sounds, complete with news reports on Copenhagen and speeches by Adolph Hitler, are intertwined with radio static. As the soundscape fades out, the three actors that make up the highly intellectual cast of the show take to the performance space for a posthumous discussion about their 1941 meeting.
Copenhagen, written by Michael Frayn (of Noises Off fame) covers the collaboration between German physicist Werner Heisenberg and Danish physicist Neils Bohr during the period of World War II. The reason for the two meeting each other in 1941 is unknown and the play offers the audience a chance to answer the many “what ifs” that encompassed their brief meeting.
The performance was very intellectually and emotionally stimulating, with the characters main focus on trying to explain the story of what happened during that meeting to not only the audience, but to themselves as well. The plausible content of their discussion extends towards the morals of nuclear weaponry, with heated discussion between Heisenberg and Bohr on the ethics of Heisenberg possibly sharing his knowledge of atomic energy with the Nazis.
The talented cast of characters included seniors Sean T. Baldwin (Niels Bohr) and Emily Scimeca (Margrethe Bohr), as well as sophomore Matthew Tenorio (Werner Heisenberg). All three had been previously seen together in the November 2013 production of Snow Queen. The relationship between Bohr and his wife was greatly portrayed by the pair of Baldwin and Scimeca. Tenorio’s performance as Heisenberg was elegant, despite the obvious fact that Tenorio was not off script for the performance.
David Lane’s direction of Copenhagen focuses on the use of movement, which intertwines perfectly, almost lyrically, with the classical music that makes up most of the soundscape. The circular movement of the actors along with the fragmented layout of the script mirrors ‘the atoms Bohr and Heisenberg try to describe,’ according to the director’s note.
The set of Copenhagen, in its beautifully fragmented design, is the creation of Professor Denise Massman. Its design seems to pull from the vastly complicated and splintered paths that the atoms that are the center of the play follow. A large white ring is suspended above the stage, pulls together these scattered atoms of the set into the final product of the conversations between Bohr and Heisenberg. The mathematical equations that cover the stage also add to the intellectual complexity of the production.
On top of the alluring set design, Matthew Fick’s lighting design gave the impression throughout the performance that the conversations were being held within the atomic bomb. Fick’s minimalistic approach at lighting certainly paid off, as it helps advance the plot. Sound design was done by the talented duo of Jason Cross and Siena College junior Kathleen Rotondo. From the pre-show soundscape up through the closing moments of the show, the auditory creations of Cross and Rotondo greatly emphasized the most important moments throughout the performance. The unique pairing of sound bites at the opening of the performance give an air of mystery and questioning to the performance.
Overall, Copenhagen was an impressive and intellectually stimulating performance, adding to the high regard of Stage III performances as well as the entire Creative Arts department at Siena College.
