‘The most significant creative mathematical genius thus far produced since the higher education of women began’ - Albert Einstein on Emmy Noether

Written by Esme Somerside Gregory, ‘Noether’ is the product of years of research into the life and work of seminal mathematician Emmy Noether. Noether’s work laid the groundwork for a huge amount of modern mathematics and physics. But the path to her theorem was paved with resistance and pushbacks. A Jewish German woman working at the University of Göttingen from 1920-1933, Noether faced immense difficulty. 

‘Noether’ grapples with this, chronicling her remarkable life using various sources of verbatim and critically examining what it means to be a female pioneer in a male-dominated field. The play uses physical theatre and multimedia projections to bring Noether’s story to life, marrying theoretical physics and drama in a gripping presentation of an undercelebrated genius. First staged in the Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, the play has since been revisited and revised, benefitting from archival research at the University of Göttingen. Presented by Oxford student theatre company Cartesian Productions, working with the Oxford University Drama Society National Tour.

Praise for Noether in Oxford:

‘Noether was a masterclass in devising’ - Cherwell

‘A beautifully lean and moving work that will resonate with audiences from all walks of life’ - Daily Info

‘I recommend seeing it without reservation’ - Uneven Swings Reviews

Runtime: 75 minutes 

Content warnings: misogyny, antisemitism, references to Nazism, death