Contemporary ‘science-in-theatre': a rare genre

Abstract

Just because a play contains some allusions or even a few deliberate references to science does not make it ‘science-in-theatre’. For this definition to fit, the play itself in terms of plot and preferably also characters should focus on science. Until recently, there was considerable doubt whether this genre was theatrically viable—at least in the contemporary commercial theatre—but current trends point towards a more positive prognosis. Almost by definition, such science-in-theatre has pedagogic components that constitute both an advantage and a burden, as shown by brief excerpts from some contemporary plays. Presenting science in dialogic form also has interesting implications for classroom instruction.