Legacy of Light at the Horizon

  Advertised as “A comic quest for love and legacy across time,” this play was much more than I expected. More depth, more breadth, more fun! Starting with historical characters then bouncing back to modern-day scenes the show had sex and science, romance and reasoning, energy and enlightenment.

Émilie du Châtelet, a French mathematician, physicist and author was one of the lovers of Voltaire, another well-known writer, historian and philosopher of the time. Both were considered to have influenced the important thinkers of The Age of Enlightenment.

The 18^th century Emilie is pregnant with the child of another of her lovers (as the show explains, “Eh, we’re French!”) She hurries to complete her research as the risk of dying in childbirth is a very real concern.

Meanwhile, back in modern times Olivia, a recognized astrophysicist and her husband, Peter who is a teacher are using a surrogate to have a baby. As the plots converge we see that much has changed over time both in science and women’s roles but many fundamental truths remain.

Leigh Campbell-Taylor played the brilliant Emilie with sensuousness and abandon. Lane Carlock as Olivia delivered complicated scientific dialogue passionately.

Legacy of Light is at Horizon Theatre until May 8^th

Go! Be Enlightened!