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People tend to step out of the way, either in awe or in veiled annoyance.
At their best, Stoppards plays are an alchemy of head and heart.
Its ideas are, as ever, rich and varied, while its dramatic scope is relatively modest.
the effect verges on schmaltz.
Still, scene to scene, Stoppards writing feels alive and engaging as ever.
Hilary is something of an outsider at the mostly hard-biology-focused institute.
Nor is it even her relative shakiness with high-level mathematics.
Its her approach to the plays titular hard problem that is, the question of consciousness.
Spike is mortified at Hilarys willingness even to consider the G word eitherg word.
Good is just as dangerous.
Cooperation is a strategy.
Altruism is an outlier unless youre an ant or a bee.
Its the outliers that interest Hilary.
At a glance, the core argument ofThe Hard Problemseems to shake out along gender lines.
Also part of the point is that its the outliers that are interesting.
If it sounds likeThe Hard Problemis a talky play, it is.
Its also, despite its relatively large cast of characters, not a fully fleshed-out ensemble piece.
Hilary is our emotional focus shes the soloist in the concerto, and were following her melody.
With such warm and fuzzy transitions Venice!
The Hard Problemis at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater.
