Would you enjoy a silent song named after an imaginary number? Does the idea of mathematicians who excel at sports, play in a rock band, and "get laid surprisingly often" intrigue you?
Even if you're unfamiliar with imaginary numbers and think that mathematicians and rock and roll should stay far, far away from each other, don't worry. You'll still enjoy Masque and Gown's fall production of David Auburn's 2001 Pulitzer Prize winning play "Proof."
The play is billed as a show about genius, humanity, and mathematicians. Non-math majors need not fear: Of these three topics, humanity is clearly the central theme.
"Mathematics is a skeleton for the play," first-time Masque and Gown director Clark Gascoigne '08 said. "The characters are really what fills it out."
"Proof" focuses on the struggles of Catherine, played by Jimei Hon '09, after the death of her mathematically brilliant but mentally unstable father. Catherine is joined by her sister Claire, played by Hannah Weil '08, and her father's former student Hal, played by Mark Viehman '07, as she deals with the implications of the discovery of an important mathematical proof.
Gascoigne pointed out that the relationships between the characters are the central focus of the play. Weil gives an especially strong performance as Claire, depicting her character's tumultuous relationship with her sister. Weil depicts Claire's simultaneous resentment of her younger sister's genius and fear of what Weil calls Catherine's "insanity factor," with a realism and warmth that makes their relationship both humorous and touching.
The budding romance between Catherine and Hal is another strong point of the play. Auburn's sharp dialogue makes the characters' relationship seem authentic, while Viehman's geeky but likable performance as Hal is believable and funny. Audiences will find themselves rooting for the young mathematician to succeed in his romantic quest. Hon's portrayal of the acerbic Catherine provides a strong anchor for the play as her character goes through emotions ranging from love to loss.
Sam Duchin '10, who plays Catherine's father, rounds out this strong cast. The youngest actor in the play, Duchin's grey hair and tall stature ironically make him a believable professor, although his spastic performance seems at times incongruous with the more restrained actions of the other characters.
Gascoigne was committed to incorporating his actors' ideas into this character-driven play. Gascoigne, who became familiar with the play after seeing it in high school, deliberately avoided seeing the 2005 John Madden-directed film of the same name.
Instead, he allowed his actors to contribute their own ideas about their characters. Hon enjoyed Gascoigne's collaborative style, saying that the director "likes to hear suggestions" and "basically pushes us to find our own interpretations."
The mathematical themes do not dominate "Proof" in such a way that it could lose certain members of the audience. Lighting designer Suzie Kimport '09, who is considering majoring in math, claimed that the show's theme did not impact her decision to become part of the crew.
"The premise is math," Kimport stated, "but [the play] has little to do with it."
Echoing this statement, Gascoigne feels that "Proof" deals with mathematical ideas, but bringing these themes to the theater "spans a lot of disciplines, much like a liberal arts education at Bowdoin."
The show's excellent actors and compelling ideas about humanity, insanity, and genius should appeal to everyone, from the first years who placed out of the introductory math courses to the students who ignore the plea on the math department T-shirts, "Hey wait, come back!"
Don't miss Masque and Gown's production of "Proof" at 8 p.m. on October 5, 6, and 7, in Memorial Hall, Wish Theater. You might learn something about the humanity behind the play's self-described "raging geeks," who "can dress themselves and hold down a job at a major university."