Kuljeet Singh, the creative director of Atelier Repertory Company, has directed plays ranging from Greek tragedies to light comedies in Hindi, Punjabi and English, creating a theatre that bears his distinct signature. Now with the presentation of “Mathematics of Being Human” at American Center auditorium in New Delhi recently, he has offered the audience a different type of theatrical experience depicting the polemics between a professor of mathematics and professor of English marked by hostility, arrogance culminating in rapprochement. It exposes the professors who live in their isolated ivory towers of knowledge, hardly ever venturing to interact with teachers of other disciplines to enlarge their intellectual horizon. The message is: the professors of humanities should use new technology to widen their field of research and mathematicians should expose themselves to arts and metaphors to humanize their field. At another level, the play suggests that students are inquisitive to interact with different disciplines to enrich themselves.
Jointly written by Michaele Osherow and Manil Suri, the play is set in an interdisciplinary class in which Mike Pearson, professor of mathematics and Naomi Kessler, professor of English, are to interact to discover communality between their respective fields and which way they can enrich themselves. An Indian-American, Manil is by profession a professor of mathematics as well as novelist. Apart from mathematics, he has deep knowledge of literature. His script is replete with references to great mathematicians and their contributions conveyed through professor of mathematics. The play opens with Mike Pearson seating in a casual manner in a room. Enters Naomi. From their first interaction both the professors betray an attitude of superiority and egotism. They are supposed to conduct interdisciplinary seminar in a meaningful manner. The professor of mathematics describes the holding of seminar, “a complete waste of time”. The English professor accuses Mike of his hostility towards humanities. In the superiority vein, professor of mathematics claims that mathematicians are open-minded. However, both agree to entitle the seminar “the mathematics of being human”. Far from reaching an agreement on the methodology “to connect mathematical ideas to humanities”, they indulge in hot debate, each trying to outsmart the other. Mike ridicules the idea of metaphor – vital to understand the intricacies of poetry. He comments, “…and for your information the idea that poetry equals mathematical precision is hogwash.” In the course of discussion the power of zero is highlighted from nothing to infinite. Naomi says, “Just a new idea about zero woven into the fabric of the play (King Lear)”.
They are joined by two students of humanities – Burt and Sandra. In the seminar Shakespeare’s King Lear is centre to the discussion. The students appear to be more open-minded and earnest enough to make the debate meaningful. In the lighter mood some describe mathematicians as mad men. The students refer King Lear again and again to define the meaning of “nothing will come of nothing”. Sandara elaborates it by referring the dialogue between Cordelia and King Lear. While King Lear is dividing his kingdom among his daughters, he says to his darling daughter Cordelia about her share in the kingdom. She says “Nothing, my Lord”. King Lear says “nothing”. Cordelia repeats “nothing” King Lear says, “Nothing will come of nothing.”
Enacting the dramatic version of the interaction between King Lear and Cordelia, the students try to illustrate the spaces where mathematics and humanities converge. The impact of the student’s enactment of the drama-within-drama brings about the change in the attitude of their professors, recognizing the need for interdisciplinary teaching to tell the maths students communication skills and Professor Mike proposes another seminar calling it “The Humanity of Being a Mathematician”.
The play deals with serious subject with a dramatic structure straight, discursive, moving to a climax with little complexities that resolves the conflict in an amicable manner. At places the viewing becomes tedious because the theme has mainly appeal for students and teaching community. But the dominant tone of the production is one of satirical. The way the professors blow the horn by pressing the ball attached to it to silent the counter part is amusing. The director has managed to treat a serious subject with a light touch.
Shayan Guha as the professor of mathematics, Saheb Kaur as the professor of English and Vidushi Chadha as humanities student perform creditably. However, Prabhjot Singh, who plays the role of student of humanities, deserves special mention for imparting the comic rhythm to the production.
