Photograph 51

Harry Watermeier &
Genviève Perrier

The Lantern Theater, located in St. Stephen’s Church, 10^th and Ludlow Street, is presenting Photograph 51 through October 11.  Members of the brilliant ensemble cast of Chris Anthony, Trevor William Fayle, Joseph Mc Granaghan, Harry Smith and Harry Watermeier play foils for Genviève Perrier, portraying female scientist Dr. Rosalind Franklin. Dr. Franklin is a scientist in London, England in the mid 20th century, a time when females are barely acknowledged.  As she devotes her life to her research, jealous colleagues surreptitiously take her findings and earn themselves a Nobel Prize for discovering the helix of DNA while she meets an early death from cancer. Anna Ziegler’s play is well written. Thanks to Kathryn Macmillan’s direction, the five male cast members appear and disappear from different parts of the stage and speak a line or two  and then stop, seeming to interrupt each other yet at the same time, seeming to continue each other’s thoughts.  This technique is very effective and serves to underline the solidarity of the male scientists as opposed to the solitude of Dr. Rosalind Franklin. The play is both powerful and thought provoking. For more information or tickets, call 215-829-0395 or visit online at LanternTheater.org.  

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