Last night we attended the play Copenhagen at the University of Tennessee's Clarence Brown Theatre. I was ready to be impressed and had read the book, so I thought I knew what to expect.
Yet, I was not ready for the quality and intensity of the presentation of Linda Stephens (Margrethe Bhor), the character who keeps your focus on target, david Brian Alley (Werner Heisenberg) and Dan Dremer (Neils Bohr.)
Neils Bohr and Werner Heisenberg, friends and two of the world's greatest physicists, met on an evening in September 1941 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Two men who may well have held the fate of the world in their hands walked and talked outside Bohr's home for only 10 minutes. What was said? What was intended? World War II may well have turned on that meeting.
The University of Tennessee's Clarence Brown Theatre is running the play in conjunction with the "Quark Matter 2009" international physics conference in Knoxville. The three person, two act drama looks at the most unusual meeting between two friends who were designated enemies because Germany had overrun Denmark.
Yet, Hitler's man running the uranium program made a personal call on an old friend and mentor, why?. Between the two of them and Bohr's wife, their spirits return to take a look a that pivotal meeting from several perspectives. Why was it held? What was the outcome?
Even the spirits have trouble with all the ramifications of this historical yet clouded meeting. You will hang on every word.
I attended last night and highly recommend it for those interested in Manhattan Project history.
Here is the link to information about the play, Copenhagen: http://www.utk.edu/events/events/index.php?com=detail&eID=42796
Here is the link to the theatre: http://www.clarencebrowntheatre.com/
Here is the link to the story published in The Oak Ridger's Historically Speaking column:
http://www.oakridger.com/archive/x1098988970/Copenhagen-the-play-or-two-men-decide-the-future
Ray
