The Science Exchange. 10 Mar 2012
Faraday’s Candle is an attempt to dramatise a series of lectures that Michael Faraday first gave to the London Royal Society in the 1850s. Michael Faraday was of course an eminent English physicist and chemist (or natural philosopher, in the terminology of the time) who contributed to the fields of electromagnetism and electrochemistry. Probably his greatest contribution to science was the invention of the forerunners of electric motors.
Although Faraday’s Candle is listed in the Theatre section of the Fringe Guide, it is rather light on and in reality is a quaint lecture, although it is charming, and instructive. I have a modest science background and took some pleasure in learning a few things about the humble candle that I didn’t know before.
Bernard Calleo, who played Faraday, looked the part and played the role with animation and sincerity, but he was frequently insecure with his lines and failed to be truly dramatic. But perhaps this was a fault of the script? It began well enough with Faraday assuming the stage and grandly announcing that over the course of the short time we had together he was going to ‘burn’ the years that separated our time from his, but this was as dramatic as it got.
The script needs much more punch before it can be truly called ‘theatre’.
Kym Clayton
When: Closed
Where: The Science Exchange
Bookings: Closed
