Breaking the Code: Powerful Biographical Drama From Underground Railway Theater
Central Square Theater (450 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139)
- Full Price:
- $40.00
- Our Price:
- $20.00*
* Additional fees apply.
All offers for Breaking the Code have expired.
The last date listed for Breaking the Code was Wednesday April 27, 2011 / 7:30pm.
Currently at Central Square Theater:
Car Talk: The Musical!!! - Inspired by the Hit NPR Call-In Show
- Full Price:
- $45.00 - $50.00
- Our Price:
- $22.50 - $25.00
Inspired by the long-running hit NPR show Car Talk -- which is hosted by legendary (real-life) mechanics Click and Clack, the Tappet Brothers -- comes the hilarious new musical comedy, Car Talk: The Musical!!! at Central Square Theater. A co-production of Underground Railway Theater and Suffolk University, the show was written by Suffolk faculty member Wesley Savick, with original music by Michael Wartofsky. In it, Rusty Fenders, the hapless owner of a lemon '93 Kia, falls in love with Miata C. LaChassis. She guides him to the Emerald Garage, home to the Wizard of Cahs (portrayed by the recorded, heavily accented voices of Click and Clack themselves). Like the radio show, it's a romantic comedy about being in love with your car -- and so, so much more. Learn More
Goldstar Member Tips
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Goldstar Member on What to Wear
Very casual is fine.
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Goldstar Member on Where to Eat
Plenty of restaurants, cafes, and pubs in the area.
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Goldstar Member on Where to Park
Lots of free street parking after 6pm.
7 Goldstar Member Reviews
Goldstar Member
The acting was superb. It didn't exactly understand Turing's genius, but the criminal consequences of homosexuality at the time are heartbreaking. Between being theater in the round and British accents it was at times difficult to catch every word. The seating is not the most comfortable but the brownies at the concession are delicious.Written on Apr 28 2011
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Edwin F. Beschler
In general we thought this was a good representation of the character of Alan Turing, as well as to others of his particular intellectual makeup. (Although I never met him, I have known three of his colleagues at Bletchley from whom I had some insights over the years.) I think the script could have benefited from at least passing reference to what they were really doing (and the significance of "you may have to do things you would really not want to do", a comment that would seem to be meaningful only to people who DID know.) But the acting was very good (in spite of the blurring of time that did not make clear when we were seeing Alan the youth and Alan the adult). I, like others, and probably you as well, wish the theatre's acoustics could be improved a bit; but my age HAS slightly impaired my hearing and I was able to get most of the dialogue. All in all, a satisfying and informative (at an appropriate technical level) evening of theatre. I would recommend it to anyone with the slightest curiosity about the history of information and communication.Written on Apr 24 2011
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Goldstar Member
Engaging and enlightening. I knew little of Turing's personal life, and this glimpse into his psyche enriched my understanding of his passion. Bravo to the actors!Written on Apr 18 2011
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Goldstar Member
Tremendously well-written and well-produced play. All the actors were wonderful. The lead actor was stupendous. His performance as Alan Turing rates up there with the best acting I've seen on NYC and London stages.Written on Apr 15 2011
I thought the non-linear nature of the play was brilliant, and I was very impressed with the way Turing's story was told by beautifully interweaving scenes from different times in his life. The material is carefully selected and edited, and the sum of the parts leaves us with a moving portrait of a brilliant scientist grappling with the pain of being human.
It's an excellent examination of how the British government wanted to make use of his brain, yet persecuted him for being gay, and reminds us all of the tenuous nature of our civil liberties. Though I am not a scientist or mathematician, the discussions about breaking the Enigma code, contesting "right" and "wrong" in mathematics, and creating "artificial intelligence" were quite well-presented, and meshed with the simultaneous exploration of human intelligence, the situational nature of morality, and the enigma of human relationships.
There is an acoustical problem in the theatre (too many hard surfaces?), so that it is sometimes difficult to hear lines. Nevertheless, the production is still very much worth seeing.
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More Information About Breaking the Code
Website
http://www.centralsquaretheater.org/season/10-11/code.html
Quotes & Highlights
- Catalyst Collaborative@MIT, the science theater collaboration between Underground Railway Theater and MIT, enhances the production with post-show conversations featuring renowned scientists. This performance is presented as a part of MIT's 150th Anniversary and the 2011 Cambridge Science Festival.
Description
Breaking the Code, Hugh Whitemore's elegant and deeply moving play about brilliant British mathematician Alan Turing, reveals connections between his cracking of the Nazi's "unbreakable" Engima Code and his refusal to live a closeted life. Turing's expansive spirit embraced seeming contradiction: gay man and war hero, marathon runner and Disney film fan; he envisioned a 'universal machine" and set the stage for modern computer technology. Directed by Adam Zahler, starring Allyn Burrows as Turing, and featuring URT Artistic Director Debra Wise.
About the Ticket Supplier: Central Square Theater
The Central Square Theater is home to Underground Railway Theater (URT) and The Nora Theatre Company, two professional theater companies with a combined track record of over 48 years of excellence.
URT has a 29 year history of connecting high quality professional theater with communities, performing new plays for young audiences, families and adults, and teaching through its rigorous education programming. Combining actors, puppetry and music, URT reaches out to and engages diverse audiences with performances of great beauty and compelling social content.
During The Nora's 19 years, audiences and the media have recognized it for its exceptionally high quality work. Mission-driven to bring cutting-edge, thought- provoking, and contemporary productions to New England audiences, The Nora has introduced local audiences to Boston, New England, and/or world premieres.