Abstract
Kasmana:Two tales of discovery and pregnancy are told in this play. An astrophysicist
at the Newton Institute whose team has discovered evidence of a planet in formation
feels that she is too old to be pregnant and so hires a woman to be surrogate mother
to her child. Intertwined with this modern tale we see the true story of Émilie du
Châtelet, whose promising career as a mathematical physicist in the 18th century was
tragically cut short by complications from a pregnancy at the age of 42.Between the
tragic death of a mathematically talented female and the parallel modern and historical
plotlines, this play is sure to draw comparisons to Arcadia. I have not actually seen
Legacy of Light, but from the reviews I have read I gather that it does not compare
well either from a literary or a mathematical perspective. I look forward to having
a chance to judge that for myself, someday, and would also appreciate comments from
anyone who has seen it.
