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The Principle of Motion
Verdict: Enigma and The Turk
Edinburgh - The Underbelly - August 03
The remarkable Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa (1717-1780), Archduchess of Austria, Queen of Hungary and Bohemia, fought two major wars (War of Austrian Succession, Seven Years War), ruled for 40 years, transformed her empire into a modern state, consolidated the Hapsburg dynasty, had 16 children (including two future emperors Josef II and Leopold ll and the ill-fated Queen Marie Antoinette of France), and still found time to dabble in chess-playing automata.
Alan Turing (1912-1954) invented the Bombe, a 2nd World War machine to crack the German submarine code Enigma, had a homosexaul affair with a thief, and injected an apple with cyanide for suicide when police investigation of his mate's burlary implicated Turing in then illegal buggery. His death is commemorated by the bitten apple logo of Apple computers. Turing laid the basis for the modern computer and the science of artificial intelligence. He also invented a programme for playing chess.
Wolfgang von Kempelen (b 23 January 1734, Bratislava, Hungary; d 26 March 1804), a young engineer, civil servant and scientist employed by Maria Theresa, accepted her challenge to mystify her. He created The Turk, a chess-playing robot.
The Principle of Motion intercuts Turing's desperate search to crack Enigma with Kempelen's bid to create a machine that resembles a human. Both men are interested in a more profound quest - the ability to create artificial intelligence. In this story, the history of Von Kempelen's making of (apparently) a machine to play chess is shown to Turing, which inspires him to complete his work.
Beatrice Curnew's robust portrayal of Empress Maria Theresa conveys a queen described by historians as courageous, generous and kind. She's a credible empress, brimming with power, sexuality, authority and charisma. Her performing duet with Simon Masterson as Wolfgang von Kempelen crackles with a sub-text of teasing and desire. Simon Masterson tunnels into his character to find a gentle humanity, while evoking the passion for discovery that drives him.
John Hickey is an excellently impassive The Turk, and thoroughly entertaining Rene Descartes. Descartes, it turns out, travelled with the automaton of a 5-year-old girl named Francine in his suitcase. His 'I think therefore I am' is translated in this fascinating play as meaning: if a machine appears to think, it can be said to be thinking. (From approximately the Turing period onwards, this interpretation of Descartes has been incorporated into the quest for artificial intelligence.)
Empress Anna Theresa refused to abdicate in favour of son Josef II, fearing that his judgment was unreliable. Rachel Rose Reid's portrayal of Josef as a cross between right little tartar and odious creep excellently justifies her hesitancy (and if that's Josef, heaven knows what the other 15 were like). Rachel Rose Reid delivers a splendid Ivy, new blue-stocking at Turing's Bletchley Park Nissan hut. The scenes between her Ivy and John Sheerman's mesmerically abstracted Alan Turing delight; both for Reid's Ivy's magnificent delusion of Turing's sexuality, and the gradual breaking of ice between two lonely people. For all the volumes written on Turing, it's hard to get near his character. John Sheerman's subtle micro-portraits of the man convey more than any number of paragraphs. He delivers a fine and credible interpretation - convincing, and endearing.
Rachel Sternberg delights in a number of roles, perhaps most as Anthon, the inventor's cheeky assistant. Her State Chancellor Wenzel Anton von Kaunitz's a fine piece of authoritarian parody.
Plays which intercut separate eras often make a dull mish-mash. The Principles of Motion avoids this through carefully-structured and disciplined story construction. Although evolved from 'exploratory workshops' (to quote from the programme), it avoids the lack of coherence of many cast-written improvisationally-developed 'projects'. It comes across instead as a well-written, intriguing play, with beginning, middle and end. It has a well-structured build-up of dramatic tension as the play comes to its climax.
The high energy of the scene-changes distracts at times from the measured pace of the scenes themselves. The clever set, by Vicki Fifield, rotates, conceals, and plays a part in the drama. Adam Barnard directs with a clear eye for an intriguing story.
Cast Credits (alpha order): Beatrice Curnew (Empress Maria Theresa, Dilly, Anna Maria von Kempelen, Phillidor). John Hickey (Jerry Johnson, Descartes, Turk, Kasparov). Simon Masterson (Wolfgang von Kempelen, Andrei, Soldier 2). Rachel Rose Reid (Ivy, Joseph II, Academic). John Sheerman (Pellétier, Alan Turing, Cardinal Krajček, Sailor, Lady). Rachel Sternberg (Wenzel Anton von Kaunitz, Mavis, Anthon).
Company Credits: Director - Adam Barnard. Designer - Vicki Fifield. Music - Peter Michaels. Assistant Director - Richard Borrett. Production Manager - Nadene Wheatley. Photograpy - Janet Baker. Publicity - Ed Shinton. Website - Bennet Summers. Company - Activated Image. Technical Management - Venue Staff. Conceived by Adam Barnard. Devised by Activated Image.
Company Credits: English National Opera. Royal National Theatre. Tom Standage (Author, The Mechanical Turk). Simon Schaffer (Author, Baggage's Silver Dancer). Gaby Wood (Author, Living Dolls). Ben Pacey. Dan Crawford. Verity Sheerman. Clapham Community Project (Annie).
END
John Park
reviewed Sunday 24 August 03 / Edinburgh / The Underbelly
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2009
