The Queen Street Playhouse (QSP) kicks off its summer theater series with a bold one-man show from Los Angeles, Einstein! by actor and writer Jack Fry.
Fry created the show in 2012 and has enjoyed a consecutive run in Los Angeles and around the country since then (though it’s the first time he brings the show to Charleston). He’s won awards and critical acclaim for his portrayal of an iconic man that goes beyond what the history books say: According to Theater Scene NY, “Fry brings Einstein back from the beyond in this one-of-a-kind show filled with humor, wit and humanity.”
Fry, who has also worked as a teacher, made the show to “give insight into one of the world’s most brilliant minds,” he told the Charleston City Paper. He was coming off of the success of his first one-man show, They Call Me Mr. Fry which was centered around his first year teaching fifth grade in South Central L.A.
“I was looking for another show to do, and I’ve always been sort of interested in metaphysics, different dimensions, that kind of stuff. I’d always kind of wondered what Einstein thought about that — it all started from his quote, ‘We only see three dimensions, but there are at least 11.’ ”
Fry said he became truly fascinated when, in his research, he stumbled upon the story of Einstein’s early life in Berlin, which is full of tidbits and drama that most people aren’t aware of, like his struggles with spirituality, mental illness and his relationship with his wife and three kids.
Showing ‘the human side’
Fry said part of the motivation of this show is to reveal Einstein’s humanity, his struggles and ultimately, his resilience.
“When we talk about important historical figures from our past,” Fry said, “we often think about their accomplishments in the past tense, limiting our ability to truly see them.” To counteract this, Fry uses many perspectives, inventive storytelling and his dramatic abilities as an actor to allow the audience a closer look at Einstein’s personality and life.
Beyond acting as Einstein, of course, Fry also embodies eight different personas during his performance, including movers-and-shakers of the then scientific world as well as Einstein’s 10-year-old son Hans.
“This show is Einstein coming back from the past, from the beyond, to set the story straight,” Fry said. “Within that structure are moments that I recreate in the present, to bring audiences into the emotion of the moment — as opposed to, ‘I did this in 1912, and then I did that.’ It’s, ‘here we are in 1912.’ And everyone’s brought into that moment.”
The show takes us back to Einstein’s early career, starting in 1912 Berlin, when Einstein was on the cusp of his greatest breakthroughs in physics, including his theory of relativity. The world is crumbling around him during this time of “the Great War” (World War I), and Einstein is faced with backlash for his pacifist views. He faces anti-Semitism and issues of plagiarism in the science world.
“While he is trying to prove relativity, his family life — his personal life — is falling apart. His relationship with his 10-year-old son was slipping through his fingers,” Fry said. “The science establishment did not believe his theory of relativity. Those that did wanted to probably steal it from him.”
The emotional height of the show takes place during Einstein’s nervous breakdown which kept him bedridden for two months. “That severely aged him,” Fry said. “There’s a point in the show where, in pure frustration, Einstein shakes his hair out into the crazy, messy thing that represents the Einstein that we all know today.”
Fry said his hope is that audiences can relate to Einstein’s struggles, frustrations and tenacity.
“I hope it can inspire [the audience] to do the best they can in their life,” he said. “He had nervous breakdowns, but meanwhile, he came up with a theory that changed the way we all live our lives today. … I think it’s a story that anybody who’s ever wanted to accomplish anything can relate to. Major struggles and obstacles are just thrown in front of you that you have to overcome. Einstein’s story is a story about hope.”
More to come in the series
Also on the summer theater series at QSP is a revival of last summer’s comedy hit, Five Lesbians Eating A Quiche, a subversive, funny and interactive show which sees the audience sitting on stage with the lady sisters at their atomic annual Susan B. Anthony Society for the Sisters of Gertrude Stein quiche breakfast. (June 4, 5, 6 and 7) And rounding out the series will be the totally awesome Decade of Decadence concert, a live music event celebrating the music and fashion of the ’80s. (June 8 and 9).
Einstein! runs at the Queen Street Playhouse May 26, 28, 29, 30 and June 1 and 2. For tickets and times, visit footlightplayers.net.
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