Copenhagen essays

Copenhagen essays Atomic warfare is, and always has been, at the mind of the worlds population. So many questions left unanswered, and some still undiscovered. But do we know what really happened at the meeting between Bohr and Heisenberg, two atomic physicists who met during world war two. This is the focus of Michael Frayns play, Copenhagen. By replaying the situation a number of times from different viewpoints, Frayn attempts to show what occurred at the meeting. However, although the audience leaves without knowing what actually happened, they leave with a performance to remember. It is memorable for the use of the stage space, the believable characters played by the actors and the way different times are suggested. By far, the most memorable event in the play would be when the nuclear bomb went off. Lights went everywhere, strobes flashing on the audience. The stage was of circular design, so there were lights following the paths of the electrons and protons in an atom. It was very interesting to see how science can be demonstrated so well in a dramatic form. The actors used each other and the space in cooperation to tell their version of the story. One of the actors would sit in a chair located at the centre of a circle, symbolizing the nucleus, whilst the other two actors orbited around whilst they explained what was happening with physics or about developing U235 from U238. Sitting at the back of the stage were audience members. Their stands appeared to complete the circular pattern of the audiences seating. The terraces were similar to that of a jury, looking down and judging the characters and about their topic of conversation or what theyre planning. To make a character believable it takes practice. Three of Australias most famous actors fulfilled this challenge exceedingly well by perfectly showing the relation between character and science. Heisenberg, playe ...