Chemistry in Theatre

Insufficiency, Phallacy or Both

This book examines the questions “What can science do for the theatre?” and “What can the theatre do for science?” which raise challenges for both theatre professionals and scientists. Unusually, this book deals with plays first and foremost as reading material — as texts to be read alone or in dramatic readings — rather than emphasizing performances on the stage. Concrete examples are given to demonstrate the potential pedagogic value of using the dialogic style and plot structure of plays in science, with a special focus on chemistry.

Very few books have dealt with the subject of science-in-theatre and virtually none with chemistry-in-theatre. Texts of the author's two recent plays, Insufficiency and Phallacy, are included in their entirety to offer concrete examples of plays dealing with actual (rather than invented) chemistry. Insufficiency represents an example from the field of beer and champagne bubbles, where the topics of academic tenure and fashion in chemistry are analyzed, whereas in Phallacy, a case history of the similarities and differences between science and art is presented for debate.

Contents:

• Preface:

  • Plays on the Page Rather than Stage
  • Plays Dealing with Chemistry

• Insufficiency:

  • A Play in 9 Scenes

• Phallacy:

  • A Play in 27 Scenes

Readership: Students and professionals in the fields of science and theatre, as well as people who are interested in these two fields.