Faber and Faber -- tpbNew York -- ©2001 -- 83pp
ISBN: 0-571-19997-6
Two Act Play.
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize
After the death of her mathematical genius father, Catherine, who gave up her own study of mathematics to tend to him, claims that she is the author of a mathematical proof found in the attic among his unpublished, mostly incoherent notebooks by Hal, one of his former students. But what "proof" does Catherine have that she, and not her father, is the author? Her older sister, home to attend the funeral, doubts her claim and, in fact, doubts Catherine's own sanity. Hal, who has professional ambitions of his own, isn't exactly disinterested and may not be trustworthy; his sleeping with Catherine has also complicated the issue. The elusiveness of genius in general and the difficulty of a mathematical proof in particular here become metaphors for the uncertainties of love, trust, and personal integrity. [from Amazon.com]
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I suppose that I shouldn't be surprised, but I enjoyed this play more than I thought I would. I expected it to be a bit dry, but it was actually quite lively and the relationships were well-defined (though I did feel that there was a certain leap to affection that was a bit rushed).
A minimal cast and a well-crafted tale brought this story to life. I would like to have seen it done. I will admit to wondering, even upon finishing, whether or not the young woman actually wrote the proof or not. Why don't we trust that it was her? Is it because she's a woman? Young? Why?
I enjoyed reading this from the viewpoint of a script reader. Does it have all the ingredients for a play to move from the slush pile to being a contender for a prize? Definitely. I most certainly would have moved this on. (And no, I don't say that just because it did win the Pulitzer.)
A play worth reading/seeing.
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