By JASON ZINOMAN Published: October 21, 2006 Is there a more romantic figure in popular culture than the mathematician? This review is exclusive to the Web. Readers’ Opinions Forum: Theater In movies like “A Beautiful Mind” and plays like “Proof,” the number crunchers may be borderline insane, but it’s madness that brilliant artists suffer — a necessary side effect of inspiration. The latest ode to the mathematician is David Freeman’s “First Class Man,” a crowd-pleasing drama about a fascinating historical figure that Ron Howard could easily sell to a major studio. It tells the story of Srinivasa Ramanujan (Amir Arison), a largely self-taught Indian prodigy who made major contributions to number theory. But unlike traditional Western mathematicians, he didn’t, according to the play, develop and test his theories using proofs. The ideas came to him through prayer. While faith and reason are often treated as opposites in public debate, this drama shows how they complement each other. Its plot centers on Mr. Ramanujan’s relationship with G. H. Hardy (Steve French), the eminent British professor and atheist at Trinity College, Cambridge University, who helped work out proofs for Mr. Ramanujan’s highly original theories. They amiably debate the existence of God and teach each other about their own cultures. It’s like a buddy movie with math geniuses, although in this case the romantic tension isn’t so latent. Hardy, a repressed gay man, looks longingly at his friend, and his eyes narrow when a woman enters the picture. Kareem Fahmy’s effortful staging doesn’t hide the fact that this is a play that entertains quite efficiently. Mr. French imbues his British intellectual with a sad-eyed dignity that may bring you close to tears. And while there’s more math than in “Proof,” enough to convince you of the reality of this world, it’s presented in a way that the lay audience can digest. Moreover, there’s just the right amount of

Longing, Friendship and Calculations Between Mathematicians E-Mail Print Save By JASON ZINOMAN Published: October 21, 2006 Is there a more romantic figure in popular culture than the mathematician? This review is exclusive to the Web. Readers’ Opinions Forum: Theater In movies like “A Beautiful Mind” and plays like “Proof,” the number crunchers may be borderline insane, but it’s madness that brilliant artists suffer — a necessary side effect of inspiration. The latest ode to the mathematician is David Freeman’s “First Class Man,” a crowd-pleasing drama about a fascinating historical figure that Ron Howard could easily sell to a major studio. It tells the story of Srinivasa Ramanujan (Amir Arison), a largely self-taught Indian prodigy who made major contributions to number theory. But unlike traditional Western mathematicians, he didn’t, according to the play, develop and test his theories using proofs. The ideas came to him through prayer. While faith and reason are often treated as opposites in public debate, this drama shows how they complement each other. Its plot centers on Mr. Ramanujan’s relationship with G. H. Hardy (Steve French), the eminent British professor and atheist at Trinity College, Cambridge University, who helped work out proofs for Mr. Ramanujan’s highly original theories. They amiably debate the existence of God and teach each other about their own cultures. It’s like a buddy movie with math geniuses, although in this case the romantic tension isn’t so latent. Hardy, a repressed gay man, looks longingly at his friend, and his eyes narrow when a woman enters the picture. Kareem Fahmy’s effortful staging doesn’t hide the fact that this is a play that entertains quite efficiently. Mr. French imbues his British intellectual with a sad-eyed dignity that may bring you close to tears. And while there’s more math than in “Proof,” enough to convince you of the reality of this world, it’s presented in a way t

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