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EDITOR: Andrea Kirk
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PHOTOGRAPH 51 - WORTH A LOOK @ THE FOUNTAIN THEATRE
By Mike Buzzelli
03/23/2009
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 British biophysicist and X-ray crystallographer Rosalind Franklin (Aria Alpert) discovers the secrets of life in Anna Ziegler’s compelling drama Photograph 51. In science, every discovery is controversial. There are varying opinions, but it is widely believed that Franklin’s breakthroughs in photographing nucleic acid led James Watson (Ian Gould) and Francis Crick (Kerby Joe Grubb) to determine the double helix structure of the DNA molecule, the very building blocks of life itself.
Franklin is portrayed as a cold fish out of water here, the only woman in the male dominated scientific community of 1950’s England. On the first day at Kings College she butts heads with Dr. Wilkins (Daniel Billet). At lunch time, Franklin, Wilkins and lab assistant Gosling (Graham Norris) discuss lunch plans, but Wilkins opts to dine in at the exclusively male dining accommodations on campus. This action has an equal and opposite reaction; Franklin seethes with a few passive-aggressive bon mots. Wilkins forges ahead and suggests they start again. The two reintroduce themselves to one another, but the peace does not last long. Their relationship is akin to two positively charged protons; they continue to repel each other.
Wilkins talks to his competitive colleagues at Cambridge, Crick and Watson. The duo is also researching DNA. They study the red x of the mysterious photograph 51 and create a model, the famous double helix strand. Crick and Watson publish their article, “The Molecular structure of Nucleic Acids: A Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid” in the scientific journal Nature (April, 1953). Eventually Crick, Watson and Wilkins receive the Nobel Prize for the scientific using the X-ray data collected by Franklin.
The play, winner of the 2008 STAGE International Script Competition (an award given by the Professional Artists Lab and the California NanoSystyems Institute at the University of California for plays that deal with science), dissects the inner life of the Dark Lady of DNA, positing that her difficulty to garner working relationships with her male colleagues prevented her from achieving the accolades she richly deserved.
Rosalind Franklin is full of blustery pride and secret desires. Under her prim exterior, the scientist dreams of kissing a man, particularly Dr. Donald Caspar (Ross Hellwig), her American pen-pal and fellow researcher.
Alpert, daughter of musician Herb Alpert, does a decent job as the embittered female biophysicist, but it’s Billet whose multilayered performance steals the show. Gould is a little clunky as Watson.
 The actors dart about the dark minimalist set at Simon Levy’s direction. There are some disconcerting moments; the actor’s break the fourth wall with dusty exposition at the top of the show, but it’s not long before the audience is immersed in the complexities of this engaging tale.
The play, admittedly focused on dry scientific exploration, delves into issues with surprising emotional depth. There are even some decent laughs (Graham Norris gets the best comedic lines and delivers them with expert comic timing).
Don’t be put off by the scientific jargon (for those packing pocket protectors and slide rules its nerd nirvana).
Photograph 51 might not be picture perfect, but it’s worth a look.
- Mike Buzzelli
Photos by Ed Krieger
(Photograph 51 runs from March 21 to May 3 (Now Extended through May 31)at the Fountain Theatre, 5060 Fountain Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90029)
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