Send In The Clones

To Keswick, where I chaired a discussion at The Theatre By The Lake last night. The occasion was a rehearsed reading of 'Fortune' a work-in-progress by Erinma Ochu, a Mancunian neuroscientist, film-maker and writer. The play follows the slightly lop-sided relationship between a middle-aged male geneticist and a young Japanese-American who's a fortune-teller's assistant. Lots of questions about destiny, identity and parenthood. It followed an absolutely electric performance of Caryl Churchill's play about cloning, 'A Number'. Both were performed by Darrell Brockis and the wonderful Stephen Ley. The audience seemed to like both pieces, and stayed to talk afterwards. The evening was part of the Theatre's 'tEXtPERIMENT' season - a series of new plays about ethics and issues in contemporary science. If you're in Cumbria, or visiting Keswick, I'd urge you to come along to one of these evenings - the foment of ideas is powerful stuff and the acting's superb.