Disconnected from the world of science

The Science of Disconnection

Directed by John Hudson
Starring Cathy Derkach and Darrin Hagen
Runs March 18–April 4
Varscona Theatre (10329-83 Ave.)
$18.75 for students at www.tixonthesquare.ca

Have you ever walked into a class and sat down, only to realize minutes later that you were in the wrong room? Maybe you're an engineering student sitting in on a literary theory class, or a dentistry student sitting in on children's psychology. Regardless of who you are and what class you're accidentally in, the bottom line is that you probably didn't learn much.

The Science of Disconnection, the newest play from Shadow Theatre, was one of those lectures. As an arts student, I dove into a world of physics; names like Boltzmann, Fermi, and Hahn swam in my head. Their theories, research, and formulas followed quickly. Maybe it's because the last time I took in any information about physics was in high school, but The Science of Disconnection went way over my head.

The play itself is based on the life of Lise Meitner and her contribution to the world of physics. After graduating from the University of Vienna, she moved to Berlin and paired up with Otto Hahn for many years as they dove into the world of radioactivity and nuclear physics. Meitner had contributed to the creation of elements after the discovery of the neutron in the 1930s, but did not realize at the time the impact these contributions had to the creation of nuclear weapons.

John Hudson writes in the director's notes that Meitner "was another of those great minds, brilliant, inquisitive, and thoroughly capable. She grew up in Austria at a time when girls were not educated past grade eight, but her fierce desire to learn and the support of her family enabled her to reach her full potential."

The one-woman show was effectively executed, and accolades need to be given to Cathy Derkach, who played the role of Meitner. Learning a monologue in an hour and a half long cannot be an easy thing to accomplish. Darrin Hagen, who is responsible for the live music behind the show, should equally be recognized for his stellar contribution.

The bigger picture of the play was unfortunately lost on me, perhaps because I was too caught up on trying to understand the technical science. I believe that anyone with a background in physics would really enjoy the show. For those, like me, who are not familiar with anything science-related, I'd advise them to do their research on Lise Meitner before attending. This information could be the tipping point between liking and understanding the play, and leaving feeling disconnected.