BREAKING THE CODE. To 29 November.
Northampton
BREAKING THE CODE
by Hugh Whitemore
Royal Theatre To 29 November 2003 Mon-Sat 7.30pm Mat 15,22,27 November 2.30pm
Runs 2hr 40min One interval
TICKETS: 01604 624811
www.royalandderngate.com
Review: Timothy Ramsden 13 November
Fine new production reveals the detail in a play that seems better than ever.The Royal used to advertise as the Northampton alternative'. It's now the place to be, for audiences, directors and judging by this cast actors too. Zoe Waites, a recent Stratford Juliet, plays the relatively small role of Pat, who loves her homosexual genius boss, bringing a controlled depth of passion that's entirely right for this mid-20th century middle-class woman.
Her elegant composure contrasts Philip Franks' Alan Turing, physically coming apart at the seams, but with a mental focus on maths that led to the early development of computers.
Turing's saw how mathematical codings could provide speeded-up information. The immediate use (Andrew Hughes' book Alan Turing: The Enigma is the play's factual source) was to break World War II German battle encryptions. But Philip Wilson goes beyond the obvious point that a wartime hero was driven to suicide in the 1950s after naively informing the police he'd broken society's sexual codes.
His subtle production points up Turing's aesthetic love of mathematics' organic beauty. Sex links inextricably in. His closest schoolfriend, Morcom, who died prematurely was a fellow figures-fiend. Philip Franks' eyes dart or shine with enthusiasm when meeting a new young man as when he speaks of his theories.
Other facial features often wait to be kindled into enthusiasm, suddenly becoming animated. It's a finely detailed performance. Ungainly, and childlike when, a middle-aged man, he explains his sexuality to a slow-comprehending mother, Turing finds happiness only in a casual liaison with a happy Greek who cannot understand a word he says. This culminating joy leads to death.
Tom Allen plays with a restrain that keeps Morcom as a spiritual presence in greyer days ahead - Pippa Nissen's projections, sometimes unhelpfully twitchy, emphasise the contrast between full-colour past and colour-drained modern England.
It's affecting because the man Franks shows us protectively hunched with crossed-legs and arms or exploding with stuttering joy in his world of numbers is so human. Other roles are well-played; Colin Mace's detective especially contrasts Turing in his practical, straight-backed manner, ever-ready to jump in with a darting question, its poisoned tip concealed within a smilingly shrewd manner.
Mick Ross: Colin Mace
Alan Turing: Philip Franks
Christopher Morcom: Tom Allen
Sara Turing: Tilly Tremayne
Ron Miller: Gus Gallagher
John Smith: David Acton
Dillwyn Knox: David Collings
Pat Green: Zoe Waites
Nikos: George Couyas
Director: Philip Wilson
Designer/Film: Pippa Nissen
Lighting: Oliver Fenwick
Sound: Liam Matthews
2003-11-14 00:43:31