The prestigious journal of science,
Nature, has "Book reviews" column, and this column includes a
sub-column named "Science in culture" to present reviews on classic
books, stage performance, etc. The sub-column in the issue of April 8, 1999, was devoted to the
review of the stage performance by Mike Maran Productions based on
Feynman's best-selling book, Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!
The reviewer is John Polkinghorne, who is past President of Queens'
College and internationally known as both a theoretical physicist and a
theologian.
As for the book, Polkinghorne writes, "I have to say that, though I am a
great admirer of Feynman the physicist, I have never cared for it much."
However, it is a comfort to Feynman fans that he refers to "a much more
complex and interesting character" concealed behind the mask of a
fun-loving New York kid, giving as its evidence "the detailed and
carefully preserved archive" found by James Gleick, the author of the
successful biography of Feynman, Genius.
Much greater delight comes to Feynman fans when Polkinghorne finally
says, "Mike Maran is to be congratulated on a lively contribution to ...
dramatic performances with some scientific content," and about half
the audience under the age of 16 present with the reviewer "will have
caught something of the excitement and value of science ..., inspired
by someone who was both a very great scientist and an accomplished
showman." I very much wish that the same stage performance be also given
in our country.
Read essays related to Richard Feynman:
"What Do I Care
What Mr. Feynman Thinks?"
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