Strings Attached – A Parallel Universe of Possibilities

Sep 18, 2022 by Two Sues On the Aisle

By Sue Weston and Susan Rosenbluth –  Two Sues On The Aisle

Three physicists board a train to London sharing a complicated past. You can view them as two men and a woman, or two cosmologists and a particle physicist, or two Brits, and an American. They share a number of connections; personal, professional, and philosophical. Each is visited by their mentor, a pioneering physicist, Sir Isaac Newton (Jonathan Hadley), Marie Curie (Bonnie Black), and Max Planck (Russell Saylor). These interactions allow them to see beyond themselves, accepting unlikely possibilities, which provide comfort and inspire collaboration. Expertly written, and staged, with a phenomenal cast, author Carole Buggé bridges the time-space continuum in a way that is entertaining, thought-provoking, and satisfying.

Oh, What a Train Ride!

During the trip from Cambridge to London to see the play Copenhagen, colleagues George (Paul Schoeffler), June (Robyne Parrish), and Rory (Brian Richardson) journey deep into their souls, facing jealousies. George and Rory attended Cambridge, Rory on scholarship, while for George it was as a family legacy. Both men long for professional recognition and are romantically involved in a relationship with June. The train ride acts as a trigger for June, who had lost her only child in a train derailment and struggles to reconcile science and religion. She wonders – if it is possible there is a parallel universe where her son did not die. This introduces the idea of possibilities and realities, both defined by the observer.

Later, Max Planck explains that light exists as photons that exhibit wave-particle duality. They can be either a particle or a wave at a given moment. Their state depends on whether there is an observer. This outside perspective adds an interesting dimension. Jane comments “I don’t even have a memory of myself as a good person. I can only see who I am now” suggesting how unreliable our assessments can be. Schrödinger’s cat experiment shows the importance of the observer. If you place a cat in a sealed box with a radioactive substance, you do not know whether the cat was dead or alive until you open the box. Until the box is open the cat is both “dead and alive” – is this a metaphor for life?

Buggé whimsically addresses life’s largest issue, guilt, associated with losing a child. She comments “I was so moved by the story of these three remarkable physicists, I felt compelled to write about them,” adding “Strings Attached transcends the physics at its center to reflect the relationships, love, and loss of these exceptional scientists on an existential journey together.”

To advance the story, Buggé introduces the conductor (played by Hadley), and two flamboyant couples – one from Ukraine, the second from the US (both couples are played by Black and Saylor). The couples are physicist enthusiasts, groupies delighted to be in the midst of our esteemed travelers. They add a dimension of humor, and a flare for the extravagant, providing a range of answers to the age-old question – How many physicists does it take to change a light bulb?

Religion and Physics

There is an interconnection between religion and physics. Planck commented, “Both religion and science require a belief in God. For believers, God is in the beginning, and for physicists, he is at the end of all considerations”. Planck and Curie share memories of the tragic deaths of their family members, and their journey to move forward without guilt. Referring to Einstein’s quote “God does not play dice with the universe” underscores the presence of a God, and order.  This realization removes personal blame, allowing the trio to move past their differences to find a shared truth.

Opening themselves to possibilities permits the physicists to weave String theory, M theory, and the Big Bang theory into a rich tapestry. They excitedly discover a theory that includes all perspectives. By introducing a parallel universe in Act II we are left to wonder about the range of possibilities and outcomes that exist based on the observer.

Strings Attached leaves you wondering about the impact of changing perspectives. Is there someone pulling the strings? Take a magical ride to London and judge for yourself.

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Two Sues on the Aisle bases its ratings on how many challahs (1-5) it pays to buy (rather than make) in order to see the play, show, film, or exhibit being reviewed. 

Strings Attached received a 5-Challah rating