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Too much hot air spoils a good plot
AN EXPERIMENT WITH AN AIR PUMP
Bridewell Theatre
“IS SCIENCE good or evil?” is the question that
the characters of Shelagh Stephenson’s new play ask.
The play weaves together two plots from different eras. One
is set in the last months of the 18th century and follows the
fate of an eminent physician, his assistants and family. The
other takes place exactly 200 years later in the same house,
and involves a geneticist and her husband, the juxtaposition
raising questions about the ethics of scientific study.
The initial faith of the physician in the value of discovery
can be compared to the doubt of the 20th-century geneticist
as to whether taking a lucrative job with a research company
is ethically right. On the surface the comparison should be
interesting, but it ends up being rambling and dull at times.
The long discussions on scientific research and its effect on
the lives of the characters linger around the same topics. The
plot itself is interesting, but loses coherency when it gets
lost among all the chatter.
The Tower Theatre Company has a strong acting pedigree and looks
set for better things in its new home The Bridewell Theatre.
Harry Reeder is especially convincing in the roles of unsavory
physician Armstrong and friendly plumber Phil and the costumes
and staging are impressive. However, I couldn’t help feeling
the play would be much better if it was an hour shorter.
March 4
020 7936 3456
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