Post by Steve on Nov 9, 2019 12:19:59 GMT
I enjoyed this. The culture clash between Alan Davies' postmodern quipping centrist and Leila Mimmack's po-faced single-minded fanatic is constantly entertaining and fascinating, though dodgy maths and talky scenes don't make for a fast pace.
Some spoilers follow. . .
This is basically Ibsen's "The Master Builder," with Alan Davies as a bright and breezy master builder of maths theories, tempted towards faith and fanaticism by Leila Mimmack's Christian Hilda Wangel.
What makes this fun is how two such contrasting characters - Davies all jokey bonhomie, Mimmack a million micro-expressions of earnestness - find common ground through maths.
Some of the maths is delightful and convincing, such as an equation to turn water into wine, and allows for the difficult bonding of these disparate characters, as well as the ever-present drama of their conflicting world views.
I enjoyed seeing such a postmodern, relaxed and likeable character, the kind that Alan Davies embodies and plays better than anyone else, flummoxed by such fiery and stone-faced conviction, and Mimmack is wonderfully relentless in this respect.
Unfortunately, not all Baddiel's depictions of science and religion are as effortless and convincing as the water-into-wine equation (look at the following SPOILER only if you aren't seeing the show, or have already seen it).
[SPOILER/]
The mathematics of alternate selves in alternate universes may make sense, but Baddiel's suggestion that it therefore follows that if you kill yourself, you will win the lottery, is nonsense. Your alternate self will enjoy that lottery win whether or not you kill yourself, so it doesn't follow that you have to kill yourself for that to happen.
Further, applying this same theory to Christians makes even less sense, as Christians are averse to suicide traditionally, and moreover, the only rational conclusion if BOTH the maths AND religion are true: is that each of the alternate selves has their OWN SOUL, which can be punished or rewarded for the different actions taken by them. Thus, the suggestion that the Maths indicates Christians can commit suicide to bring on the rapture seems doubly ridiculous: in that it contradicts both tradition AND logic!
The mathematics of alternate selves in alternate universes may make sense, but Baddiel's suggestion that it therefore follows that if you kill yourself, you will win the lottery, is nonsense. Your alternate self will enjoy that lottery win whether or not you kill yourself, so it doesn't follow that you have to kill yourself for that to happen.
Further, applying this same theory to Christians makes even less sense, as Christians are averse to suicide traditionally, and moreover, the only rational conclusion if BOTH the maths AND religion are true: is that each of the alternate selves has their OWN SOUL, which can be punished or rewarded for the different actions taken by them. Thus, the suggestion that the Maths indicates Christians can commit suicide to bring on the rapture seems doubly ridiculous: in that it contradicts both tradition AND logic!
Anyhow, Nitin Ganatra and Alexandra Gilbreath are great support as Davies' friend and wife, respectively, ably depicting two additional contrasting value systems, of casual amorality and fanatical atheism, that add to the mix of the play to create an even more interesting and complex interplay of ideas.
Overall, despite longeurs of chit chat and a little dodgy theorising, I found this play well worth watching for the ideas, for transposing Ibsen's spirituality to a postmodern context and for the performances of Davies and Mimmack.
3 and a half stars. 
