An Experiment with an Air Pump - Department of Performing Arts - Theatre and Dance - Christopher Newport University

Department of Performing Arts - Theatre and Dance

An Experiment with an Air Pump

By Shelagh Stephenson
Directed by Denise Gillman
Contains mature content of a sensitive nature.

October 4-6 and 9-11

Alternating between 1799 and 1999, two families are propelled toward scientific achievement and the quest for notoriety. Inspired in part by the 1768 painting “An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump” by artist Joseph Wright, this play overlaps two storylines examining family legacy, gender and the ethics of science. Playwright Shelagh Stephenson, of “Downton Abbey” acclaim, delivers mystery both thoughtful and daring.

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