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Darwin In Malibu
A brand new comedy about science and ethics by "a new young dramatist of exceptional wit and promise for the future" - Daily Telegraph
"No, really, who needs evolution when you have plastic surgery?"
Malibu, California. The present.
Charles Darwin has wound up in a beach house overlooking the Pacific with a girl young enough to be his daughter. One hundred and forty-five years have passed since the publication of The Origin of Species, and over a hundred and twenty years since Darwin's own death.
But his peace is rudely disturbed when his old friend Thomas Huxley washes up on the beach, closely followed by the Bishop of Oxford. Darwin suddenly finds himself entangled in a sparkling comedy of life and death, love and loss, and the sex lives of hermaphroditic barnacles.Darwin in Malibu premiered at Birmingham Repertory Theatre where it was nominated for the TMA Award for Best New Play.
"Fiercely intelligent...an exceptionally spry play, with big ideas and a big heart. You should see it - not just because it's there, but because we are here. Along with the barnacles and stars." Guardian
"No, really, who needs evolution when you have plastic surgery?"
Malibu, California. The present.
Charles Darwin has wound up in a beach house overlooking the Pacific with a girl young enough to be his daughter. One hundred and forty-five years have passed since the publication of The Origin of Species, and over a hundred and twenty years since Darwin's own death.
But his peace is rudely disturbed when his old friend Thomas Huxley washes up on the beach, closely followed by the Bishop of Oxford. Darwin suddenly finds himself entangled in a sparkling comedy of life and death, love and loss, and the sex lives of hermaphroditic barnacles.Darwin in Malibu premiered at Birmingham Repertory Theatre where it was nominated for the TMA Award for Best New Play.
"Fiercely intelligent...an exceptionally spry play, with big ideas and a big heart. You should see it - not just because it's there, but because we are here. Along with the barnacles and stars." Guardian
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First published May 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 12, 2018
I laughed an awful lot but once felt like crying. really quite good, I wish I could see it performed.
December 24, 2012
A beach in Malibu, present day. A beach house occupied by a young, all American girl and a considerably older man. Older by over a century, in fact. The man is none other than Charles Darwin.
The idyllic life of Darwin and the girl is interrupted by the sudden arrivals of Darwin's friend Thomas Huxley and later the bishop of Oxford. A witty debate about science, religion, evolution, knowledge and ethics follows.
"Darwin in Malibu" is nicely surreal and mysterious, and Crispin Whittell has paced the dialog with skill. The play is enjoyable but a bit too obvious in its science vs. religion setup. The discourse between the characters is whimsical and sufficiently showlike, but the content is so very familiar to anyone who's ever heard, read or thought of the relatiosnhip between private faith, organized religion, indfividual ethics, imposed morality and the principles behind the scientific method.
The play is a compact, entertaining read and a joy to see brought to life on the stage by talented people (once had the pleasure of seeing a production by the ever reliable Finn-Britt Players), but its intellectual aims fall short of what one might expect.
The idyllic life of Darwin and the girl is interrupted by the sudden arrivals of Darwin's friend Thomas Huxley and later the bishop of Oxford. A witty debate about science, religion, evolution, knowledge and ethics follows.
"Darwin in Malibu" is nicely surreal and mysterious, and Crispin Whittell has paced the dialog with skill. The play is enjoyable but a bit too obvious in its science vs. religion setup. The discourse between the characters is whimsical and sufficiently showlike, but the content is so very familiar to anyone who's ever heard, read or thought of the relatiosnhip between private faith, organized religion, indfividual ethics, imposed morality and the principles behind the scientific method.
The play is a compact, entertaining read and a joy to see brought to life on the stage by talented people (once had the pleasure of seeing a production by the ever reliable Finn-Britt Players), but its intellectual aims fall short of what one might expect.
May 22, 2020
I liked this a lot more than I was expecting! An offbeat and sexually-charged comedy featuring three historical figures of the nineteenth century stuck in present-day Malibu. They argue about the theories of evolution and creationism, how death and living out someone's truth may tie them together, and how Pat Booth's Malibu may be a better guide to life than anyone expected.
LOL on that last one, but Huxley may think it's true, as long as it doesn't get connected to some greater point on humanity. However, Whittell does a nice job showcasing that humanity can find some semblance of common ground, even if their beliefs are radically different.
LOL on that last one, but Huxley may think it's true, as long as it doesn't get connected to some greater point on humanity. However, Whittell does a nice job showcasing that humanity can find some semblance of common ground, even if their beliefs are radically different.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews