Review: Moving Bodies

Moving Bodies by Arthur Giron
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Moving Bodies

By: Arthur Giron

Narrated by: Alfred Molina, Mark Harelik, Jenny O'Hara, Kathryn Hahn

Length: 1 hr and 57 mins

Published February 1st 2008 by LA Theatre Works

Yes I'm still on my reading plays kick/play research. This one intrigued me first because the actor Alfred Molina (Doc Ock from the Spider-Man movie). I love his work and will pretty much stop all I'm doing to watch a movie with him. Seeing he is cast as the lead role in this was what locked in this play in my sites. The second thing is that it involves science and physics. I have a secret passion for physics while never practicing I love the concepts and that all answers can be arrived at through physics. Yes all, but I don't have time to explain that right now.

So being another LA Theatre Works production was the third factor which cemented that this play was one I had to hear in audiobook form. Once again LATW have the perfect production/performance and with the cast in this one, definitely worth absorbing. If you've never read one of my reviews of a LATW production, the casts are always great, the sound production is so perfect that if you close your eyes you are placed right smack dab in the middle of the live performance. My advice to you, never turn down a LATW production.

So about this play. This play follows the life of Nobel Prize winner, Richard Feynman. Feynman was instrumental in the creation of the atomic bomb and was the witness for the space shuttle Challenger disaster investigation. In fact Feynman was the one to actually discover and demonstrate that the O-rings were the culprit in the explosion.

Through out the play we discover many interesting aspects of Feynman's life, such as his dad was an amateur scientist and is the one that led Richard Feynman and his sister to become scientists. There are several humorous moments in the play that make a play about science a bit easier for those to follow who aren't necessarily nerdy about science. In fact Richard Fineman was well-known to be a practical joker. I'm pretty sure that can also be attributed to his father.

After the bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Feynman regretted that he was responsible for so many deaths and this affected his life in many ways. This play explores all that and more. Arthur Giron captured a life worth learning about and more in a mere 2 hours.

Publisher's Summary

Moving Bodies is a chronicle of the brilliant life of Nobel Prize-winning scientist Richard Feynman. From his role in the development of the atomic bomb to his controversial testimony at the investigation of the Challenger disaster, Feynman casts a long shadow across the worlds of physics and mathematics. Through playwright Arthur Giron's eyes, we see how Feynman became one of the most important scientists of our time.

Includes a bonus feature with Ralph Leighton, the co-author of Richard Feynman's "Surely You’re Joking, Mister Feynman!", a best-selling collection of autobiographical stories and reminiscences.

An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance featuring Emily Bergl, Jessica Chastain, Jill Gascoine, Matthew Gaydos, Harry Groener, Arye Gross, Kathryn Hahn, Mark Harelick, Katharine Leonard, Mary McGowan, Alec Medlock, Alfred Molina, Jenny O’Hara, Raphael Sbarge, Joe Spano and John Vickery.

Moving Bodies is part of L.A. Theatre Works’ Relativity Series featuring science-themed plays. Major funding for the Relativity Series is provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to enhance public understanding of science and technology in the modern world.

©2008 L.A. Theatre Works (P)2008 L.A. Theatre Works

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