Presenter: National Theatre Company of China 
Director: Wang Xiaoying 
Playwright: Michael Frayn 
Venue: National Centre for the Performing Arts - Multi-functional Theatre 
Dates: Apr. 15-18, 2010　  19:30 

Programme Introduction
 
This is a drama that received the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award for Best Play (Broadway version) in 2000.

This is an unsurpassable classic work of mystery and reasoning with perfect integration of the art, science, sensibility and sense.

The realistic masterpiece is directed by Wang Xiaoying, the renowned director and the first domestically-trained drama directing doctor, and this is a performing of scenario written by Michael Frayn. This drama has been performed in universities for many times, being popular among students.

The play describes the histories before and after successful development of the atomic bomb with memories and dialogues of souls of Werner Heisenberg (the scientist of Nazi-era in Germany) and Niels Bohr (the Danish scientist) and his wife Margrethe Margaret after death.
 The difficulty to present the drama is unprecedented, and the performances in China prove the artistic ability and artistic realm of Chinese drama arts as well as its artists. Humans developed from the cold to the hot weapon war, and then the high-tech war; the unprecedented development in military technology seriously effected on the process of history and the fate of humans. This drama is to guide people to answer a very important question: How could the true responsibilities of scientists fit with the fate of the historical development? Today, the cruel reality of two Iraq wars makes this drama more pressing. For the development of the drama arts, the drama equips innovation value in ideas and expressions, and that Wang Xiaoying's direction contributes a very valuable learning significance for the development of Chinese drama.

Among the spectators, you may find the world-renowned physicist, Professor Chen-Ning Franklin Yang, and the famous application mathematician, Professor Lin Jiaqiao. Mr. Yang and Mr. Zhou Peiyuan (the teacher of Professor Lin, are the contemporaries of Professor Heisenberg; Mr. Yang has met with Mr. Heisenberg, and Mr. Lin has studied Heisenberg's scientific achievements. Mr. Yang was deeply moved after watching this drama, and said that an era of renaissance in China is coming.

The Times hailed that the play is a profound thought about the mystery of human motivation difficult to be relieved. The Sunday Times reported that the drama is a piece of history, a rational tremor, a psychological research and a full moral trial. The profound thinking refers to the thinking, difficult to be relieved, about scientists and justice, humans, homeland, honor, friendship, science, and historical fate.

The Director's Notes
"Copenhagen" is a riddle. Today, people can not identify exactly the real significance of the meeting between Heisenberg and Bohr in 1941, and certainly can not identify the motivation, intention, and subconscious of the persons involved. For development and utilization in actual combat of atomic bomb that year, for the potential threat of nuclear annihilation we are facing today, for the impact on the humans survival by the future scientific development, is the misunderstanding about "Copenhagen" a coincidence or a foreordination? Physics is an abstract science for ordinary people, but the part of life for physicists. When the individual life experience links with the destiny of humans, can they carry?

Copenhagen is a puzzle. Three souls talk in another world to make certain the things disturbing their later life or even the souls, so the drama has no normal logical concept of space and time, especially time is broken, intermittent, reverse, repeated without linear continuity. Thus, there are no accustomed or identified linear plot logic and linear character development, and this is the largest puzzle to read, understand, and watch the drama.

Copenhagen is a "phenomenon". Somehow, the scenario of Copenhagen has been performed in many European countries, American cities, Australia and even Japan since its debut in 1998. It appeared in the mainstream culture as a mainstream drama instead of an innovative play, and received extensive attentions from mainstream drama audiences, reviews and the scientific and historical cycles. Thus, a well-known media called it the "Copenhagen phenomenon". Is this "phenomenon" existed only because the Western understand the history of World War II and that in making atomic bomb better? Or which of them reflected their views on drama and its functions? For example, the deep study on humans, artistic value of speculation, "non-entertainment" pleasure of enjoying, and the ultra-utilitarian concerns about life, people and the world.

Copenhagen is a challenge. We can not say that it represent the highest standard of international drama, but also can not say that it indicates that the development and trend of international drama, but at present, in a large international scope, it is a flash of bright spot on the stage of drama. However, there's a challenge beneath the Copenhagen that how to face with this play, like China's drama stage, Chinese drama audiences as well as Chinese dramatic theory.

In any case, when people are safe, rich, enjoying material desires, and pursuing fame and benefits, their inner conscience and reason may also need to be waken up. This is the necessary attribute and character of dramatic art in addition to entertainment.

About "Mystery of Copenhagen Talks"
 In September 1941, signs seem to indicate that the whole Europe will fall into Hitler's rule. Britain was alone in the anti-fascist struggle since the summer and has been unable to open a second battle line in mainland Europe, and only can take a few battles in the North African desert. The former Soviet Union was invaded a few weeks ago and its fate depended on the result of besiege of Hitler's army. At this time, Werner Heisenberg, the German nuclear physicist went to Copenhagen by train to meet Niels Bohr, one fellow researcher.

After they had dinner together, then they talked outside Bohr's home. Maybe they wanted to keep away from listening devices, and they also wanted to find a quiet place for talking. What has Heisenberg said to Bohr and what were the effects on the development of the war by their conversation?

So far, no one doubts that Heisenberg disclosed to his peers that an atomic bomb program was carrying out by Nazi Germany and seems to have made significant progress, but it is not clear the ways to mention it to the Bohr. Did Heisenberg go to inquire about the understanding in atomic bomb of Bohr and Allied forces, or try to persuade Bohr to stop the allied force's study of this weapon while delay the Nazi's study of the atomic bomb?

The "Mystery of Copenhagen Talks" is not only a mystery of the history of science, but also of the history in World War II, which confuses history scientists...

Synopsis
 Heaven, or hell.

Three souls are gathering here today...

They talk about the war in 1941, that rainy night in Copenhagen in September, the ski race in Norway, nuclear reactors of Nazi Germany, the atomic bomb being developed by the Allies. They talk about quantum, particles, uranium fission and the uncertainty principle, and also piano music of Beethoven and Bach. They talk about the right to do everything for the motherland during the war and the scattered corpses in the city after the bomb dropping...

They talk about everything, but the most they would like to talk about is the riddle meeting of the Nobel Prize winners, Werner Heisenberg and Niles Bohr, in Copenhagen in 1941 influencing the world physics process.

They continue to talk about the truth of the meeting, but the result is still uncertain...
 
　
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