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Proof
Proof is the winner of the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
One of the most acclaimed plays of the 1999-2000 season, Proof is a work that explores the unknowability of love as much as it does the mysteries of science.
It focuses on Catherine, a young woman who has spent years caring for her father, Robert, a brilliant mathematician in his youth who was later unable to function without her help. His death has brought into her midst both her sister, Claire, who wants to take Catherine back to New York with her, and Hal, a former student of Catherine's father who hopes to find some hint of Robert's genius among his incoherent scribblings. The passion that Hal feels for math both moves and angers Catherine, who, in her exhaustion, is torn between missing her father and resenting the great sacrifices she made for him. For Catherine has inherited at least a part of her father's brilliance -- and perhaps some of his instability as well. As she and Hal become attracted to each other, they push at the edges of each other's knowledge, considering not only the unpredictability of genius but also the human instinct toward love and trust.
83 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
About the author
David Auburn
16 books53 followersDavid Auburn is an American playwright, screenwriter, and theatre director. He is best known for his 2000 play Proof, which won the 2001 Tony Award for Best Play and Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 584 reviews
July 24, 2020
Proof: A Play, David Auburn
Proof is a 2000 play by the American playwright David Auburn.
Proof was developed at George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, New Jersey, during the 1999 Next Stage Series of new plays.
The play premiered Off-Broadway in May 2000 and transferred to Broadway in October 2000. The play won the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play.
عنوانها: «برهان»؛ «اثبات»؛ نویسنده: دیوید اوبورن؛ تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز هشتم ماه می سال 2012 میلادی
عنوان: برهان (اثبات)؛ نویسنده: دیوید اوبورن؛ مترجم: امیرحسین طاهری؛ مشخصات نشر تهران، افراز، 1390، در 143ص، فروست: سینما و تئاتر، نمایشنامه، شابک 9789642435661؛ عنوان دیگر اثبات، موضوع نمایشنامه های نویسندگان امریکایی سده 21م
یکی از شخصیتهای این نمایشنامه، روح «رابرت»، پدر درگذشه ی «کاترین» است؛ این نمایشنامه چهار شخصیت دارد که سه تن از آنها ریاضیدان هستند؛ و نویسنده برای هر صحنه، موقعیتی دو نفره را میسازد
نقل از متن صفحات 121، و 122: «من در مورد الهام آسمانی حرف نمیزنم؛ اینجوری نیست که از عرش به سرم سرازیر بشه و از اونجا روی کاغذ بیاد؛ برای اینکه بشه بهشون شکلی داد کار لازمه؛ من نمیگم که حجم کار وحشتناک نخواهد بود؛ حجم کار قطعا وحشتناک خواهد بود؛ آسون نیست ولی ماده ی خامش اونجاست؛ مثل اینه که تا حالا داشتم توی ترافیک رانندگی میکردم، و کم کم حالا داره راه جلوم باز میشه، و میتونم سرعت بگیرم.؛ دارم تمامی چشم انداز رو میبینم...؛ جاهایی که تحقیقاتم میتونه پیش بره، شگردهای جدید احتمالات انقلابی...؛ دارم به جایی میرسم که همه ی شاخه های ریاضیات رو به گفتگو با هم وادارم.؛ من..؛ ببخشید من همش دارم از خود میگم.؛ دانشگاه چطوره؟» پایان نقل
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 03/05/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
Proof is a 2000 play by the American playwright David Auburn.
Proof was developed at George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, New Jersey, during the 1999 Next Stage Series of new plays.
The play premiered Off-Broadway in May 2000 and transferred to Broadway in October 2000. The play won the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play.
عنوانها: «برهان»؛ «اثبات»؛ نویسنده: دیوید اوبورن؛ تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز هشتم ماه می سال 2012 میلادی
عنوان: برهان (اثبات)؛ نویسنده: دیوید اوبورن؛ مترجم: امیرحسین طاهری؛ مشخصات نشر تهران، افراز، 1390، در 143ص، فروست: سینما و تئاتر، نمایشنامه، شابک 9789642435661؛ عنوان دیگر اثبات، موضوع نمایشنامه های نویسندگان امریکایی سده 21م
یکی از شخصیتهای این نمایشنامه، روح «رابرت»، پدر درگذشه ی «کاترین» است؛ این نمایشنامه چهار شخصیت دارد که سه تن از آنها ریاضیدان هستند؛ و نویسنده برای هر صحنه، موقعیتی دو نفره را میسازد
نقل از متن صفحات 121، و 122: «من در مورد الهام آسمانی حرف نمیزنم؛ اینجوری نیست که از عرش به سرم سرازیر بشه و از اونجا روی کاغذ بیاد؛ برای اینکه بشه بهشون شکلی داد کار لازمه؛ من نمیگم که حجم کار وحشتناک نخواهد بود؛ حجم کار قطعا وحشتناک خواهد بود؛ آسون نیست ولی ماده ی خامش اونجاست؛ مثل اینه که تا حالا داشتم توی ترافیک رانندگی میکردم، و کم کم حالا داره راه جلوم باز میشه، و میتونم سرعت بگیرم.؛ دارم تمامی چشم انداز رو میبینم...؛ جاهایی که تحقیقاتم میتونه پیش بره، شگردهای جدید احتمالات انقلابی...؛ دارم به جایی میرسم که همه ی شاخه های ریاضیات رو به گفتگو با هم وادارم.؛ من..؛ ببخشید من همش دارم از خود میگم.؛ دانشگاه چطوره؟» پایان نقل
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 03/05/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
June 27, 2019
I loved this. The writing was so clear and succinct. No wasted words or emotions. It felt like a clock with each part there that needed to be working together in harmony. I have heard of this for years and I'm so glad I went ahead and read it. I love to read a play now and again. It is rewarding.
Catherine is turning 25 and her father has died. She has been taking care of him the past 4 years. Her father is a famous mathematician who wrote several famous renown proofs and a student of his is trying to make sure this man who went crazy didn't leave one last tidbit behind that the world should know about. There are some great surprises in this story I won't spoil. It is worth reading. I would be interested to see how it is played on stage. Excellent.
People are worried that Catherine might be cracking up like her dad did. The student, Hal falls for Catherine. Catherine's sister, Claire, also comes for the funeral and she is trying to get Catherine to move to NYC with her so she can care for Catherine. Claire is worried about her.
Catherine has written, while she has been caretaking her father, a proof of her own. A proof that will set the world on fire. Will anyone believe that she wrote it?
I love this play. It's brilliant and simple and engrossing. Thank you David Auburn for this. I like how the play hops and skips in time, just enough to fill us in on the past important details. I love the character of Catherine and her need for someone to just believe her. This is all about a mathematical proof, but we really get little of it in the audience, so that won't lose anyone.
Catherine is turning 25 and her father has died. She has been taking care of him the past 4 years. Her father is a famous mathematician who wrote several famous renown proofs and a student of his is trying to make sure this man who went crazy didn't leave one last tidbit behind that the world should know about. There are some great surprises in this story I won't spoil. It is worth reading. I would be interested to see how it is played on stage. Excellent.
People are worried that Catherine might be cracking up like her dad did. The student, Hal falls for Catherine. Catherine's sister, Claire, also comes for the funeral and she is trying to get Catherine to move to NYC with her so she can care for Catherine. Claire is worried about her.
Catherine has written, while she has been caretaking her father, a proof of her own. A proof that will set the world on fire. Will anyone believe that she wrote it?
I love this play. It's brilliant and simple and engrossing. Thank you David Auburn for this. I like how the play hops and skips in time, just enough to fill us in on the past important details. I love the character of Catherine and her need for someone to just believe her. This is all about a mathematical proof, but we really get little of it in the audience, so that won't lose anyone.
October 12, 2008
How did this win the pulitzer? Just another of those sloan foundation plays that deftly weave esoteric, intellectual ideas into the narrative in a particularly lame attempt to make the audience feel good about their intelligence. The characters are shallow and I don't really care whether or not she wrote the freaking proof! And why should I? The self-deprecating, emo little floozy couldn't extract sympathy from a potato (which is obviously the most sympathetic of all edible things in the vegetable section of your local supermarket).
June 29, 2017
«اثبات» اثر دیوید اوبرن.
یه نمایشنامه ی کوتاه و زیباست. ریاضی دانی که توی سال های آخر عمرش دچار جنون میشه. کاترین، دختری که درس و دانشگاهش رو رها میکنه تا از پدرش مراقبت کنه و البته استعداد ریاضی رو از پدرش به ارث برده. کلر، دختری که توی نیویورک زندگی می کنه و توی این سال ها زندگی خودش رو به دور از دغدعه های پدرش داشته. و هل که شاگرد استاد بوده و بعد از مرگ رابرت، توی دست نوشته هاش دنبال اثبات های به دردبخور می گرده.
به نظرم محوریت کتاب بیش از اینکه اون اثبات ریاضی باشه، اثبات صداقت و نبوغ و دیوانه نبودن کاترین به اطرافیانی بود که باورش نداشتن و معتقد بودن جنون پدرش رو به ارث برده.
یه نمایشنامه ی کوتاه و زیباست. ریاضی دانی که توی سال های آخر عمرش دچار جنون میشه. کاترین، دختری که درس و دانشگاهش رو رها میکنه تا از پدرش مراقبت کنه و البته استعداد ریاضی رو از پدرش به ارث برده. کلر، دختری که توی نیویورک زندگی می کنه و توی این سال ها زندگی خودش رو به دور از دغدعه های پدرش داشته. و هل که شاگرد استاد بوده و بعد از مرگ رابرت، توی دست نوشته هاش دنبال اثبات های به دردبخور می گرده.
به نظرم محوریت کتاب بیش از اینکه اون اثبات ریاضی باشه، اثبات صداقت و نبوغ و دیوانه نبودن کاترین به اطرافیانی بود که باورش نداشتن و معتقد بودن جنون پدرش رو به ارث برده.
July 13, 2015
داشتم با خودم فکر می کردم یعنی این اثر که دیروز بعد از ظهر خوندنش رو تمام کردم و شخصیتهای اون بخشی از من شدن و مدام دارم بهش فکر میکنم ارزش 5 ستاره رو نداشت!!!!!البته که داشت منتها 5 ستاره رو گذاشتم برای اثار ی که قراره شگفت انگیز باشه.... در جستجوی کتابی کم حجم ولی شگفت انگیز خیلی زود موفق شدم و به نتیجه رسیدم..... این اثر به زندگی ریاضی دانی می پردازه که سالهای اخر عمرش رو با جنون دست و پنجه نرم می کرده و میمیره.... و البته بیشتر به چالش کاترین دختری که نبوغ پدر رو در ریاضی به ارث برده.... و البته تمام اون سالهای دردناک از پدرش مراقبت کرده..... حالا با خواهری روبرو است که از کالیفرنیا اومده یکسراست ملک پدری رو فروخته و می خواد خواهرش به یک تیمارستان در نیویورک ببره چون اصرار داره خواهرش نه تنها نبوغ پدر بلکه جنون اون رو به ارث برده می پردازه.... نمایشنامه از جایی پیچیده تر میشه که یه دانشجویی ریاضی که از شاگردهای پدر کاترین بوده سرو کله اش پیدا میشه... دوست ندارم قصه رو براتون تعریف کنم من استعداد بی نظیری در لو دادن قصه دارم.... بنابراین اگر نمایشنامه خوانی رو دوست دارید می تونم توصیه کنم به سراغ این اثر برید.....بنظرم این نمایشنامه در بطن خودش باور هایی... مثل شکل گیری شخصیت بر اساس ژنتیک،توان انسان در بدست گیری سرنوشت خودش و مقابله با تمام محدودیتهای ژنتیکی و محیطی رومطرح میکنه یه جور زیر پوستی... که تا مغز استخوانت فرو میره... عجیبه ادم هایی مثل کلر رو که برای دیگران تصمیم میگیرن و اغلب مصلحت و خیر خودشون رو پشت نقاب خیرو صلاح و مصلحت تو پنهان میکنن زیاد دیدم ادم های که عادت دارن به جای دیگران فکر کنند احساس کنند و زندگی کنند.........
September 21, 2021
Such a smart and engaging play, and very much worthy of taking home the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
March 20, 2017
(Read for school.)
This is definitely one of my favorites! The line between fiction and reality was blurred, and I absolutely love how ambiguous things were - it lets us use our imagination.
This is definitely one of my favorites! The line between fiction and reality was blurred, and I absolutely love how ambiguous things were - it lets us use our imagination.
June 2, 2022
I loved this play. With two acts, it has a compact plot and is thought provoking.
Robert was a renowned mathematics professor at the University of Chicago and he is now deceased. His adult daughters are Catherine, a possible prodigy and Claire who is the responsible daughter with a finance degree. And there is also a mathematics student named Hal who is interested in Robert’s notebooks.
Hal attends the University of Chicago where Robert taught. Catherine attended Northwestern University but had to leave school to take care of Robert. The book is focused on a big discovery in the field of mathematics. The play has some similarities to a ‘Beautiful Mind’ but with a much bigger twist.
This story felt personal to me for other reasons. My brother, a math prodigy, went to the University of Chicago and I went to Northwestern. The mental illness that unfolds in the play - especially the genetic component - seemed all too familiar to me.
5 stars. This play won numerous awards including a Pulitzer prize in 2001.
Robert was a renowned mathematics professor at the University of Chicago and he is now deceased. His adult daughters are Catherine, a possible prodigy and Claire who is the responsible daughter with a finance degree. And there is also a mathematics student named Hal who is interested in Robert’s notebooks.
Hal attends the University of Chicago where Robert taught. Catherine attended Northwestern University but had to leave school to take care of Robert. The book is focused on a big discovery in the field of mathematics. The play has some similarities to a ‘Beautiful Mind’ but with a much bigger twist.
This story felt personal to me for other reasons. My brother, a math prodigy, went to the University of Chicago and I went to Northwestern. The mental illness that unfolds in the play - especially the genetic component - seemed all too familiar to me.
5 stars. This play won numerous awards including a Pulitzer prize in 2001.
January 20, 2019
قطعا از بهترین نمایشنامه‌هاییه که خوندم.
January 22, 2016
December of Drama 2015, day twenty
"Every morning there are mountains to climb,
Taking all my time.
When I get up this is what I see:
Welcome to reality."
--Realiti, by Grimes
Solid. Am I spoiling myself by continuing to pick Pulitzer Prize winners to read? Probably. In any event, this isn't quite as heavy as Doubt, which I just read, but it is heady. Yet it doesn't get bogged down in the mathematics, as you might expect from the synopsis. It's intelligent, but, intelligently, more about the characters than the ideas. As I read it I got the impression that it was firmly rooted in reality, and the nature of the characters. Nothing meta, nothing absurd, no flights of fancy. It builds a surprising amount of suspense and drama into Catherine's predicament, her revelation, and the outcome of it all. The first scene is a little tricky / manipulative, and the flashback scenes are almost more trouble than they're worth-- slightly transparent. I could see what the writer was doing, but I didn't entirely dislike it. My reaction was more: "Ah, yeah, that makes sense. Well done, sir."
So, does anyone see what I did there? Read Doubt, then Proof? Laugh, damn you!
"Every morning there are mountains to climb,
Taking all my time.
When I get up this is what I see:
Welcome to reality."
--Realiti, by Grimes
Solid. Am I spoiling myself by continuing to pick Pulitzer Prize winners to read? Probably. In any event, this isn't quite as heavy as Doubt, which I just read, but it is heady. Yet it doesn't get bogged down in the mathematics, as you might expect from the synopsis. It's intelligent, but, intelligently, more about the characters than the ideas. As I read it I got the impression that it was firmly rooted in reality, and the nature of the characters. Nothing meta, nothing absurd, no flights of fancy. It builds a surprising amount of suspense and drama into Catherine's predicament, her revelation, and the outcome of it all. The first scene is a little tricky / manipulative, and the flashback scenes are almost more trouble than they're worth-- slightly transparent. I could see what the writer was doing, but I didn't entirely dislike it. My reaction was more: "Ah, yeah, that makes sense. Well done, sir."
So, does anyone see what I did there? Read Doubt, then Proof? Laugh, damn you!
November 21, 2017
«آدم‌های دیوونه سوال نمی‌پرسن.»
*
یک ریویویی بر این نمایشنامه گفته بود، از آن دست آثاری است که درباره‌ی ریاضی و این مسائل حرف می‌زند تا به مخاطب حس باهوش بودن القا کند.
زندگی‌نامه‌ی اوبرن را هم که نگاه کردم، ادبیات خوانده بود. اشکالی ندارد، ولی نشان می‌دهد چرا نمایش «واقعا» هیچ‌گاه با ریاضی درگیر نمی‌شود. حتا یک دیالوگ به‌غایت بی‌مزه دارد که اگر X فلان باشد، یعنی هوا سرد است و غیره. اتفاقا گودریدز هم این خط را نقل‌قول کرده بود از کتاب.
درست مثل فیلم‌های وودی‌آلن درباره‌ی نوابغ و آدم‌های علمی و دانشمند، اینجا هم ما فقط لفظ دانشمند و درس‌خون و نِرد را می‌شنویم، ولی به شخصیت آنها - آن‌چه حقیقتا هستند و می‌اندیشند - نزدیک نمی‌شویم. چون نویسنده‌های غیردانشمند نمی‌توانند درباره‌ی دانش بنویسند.
*
چند دقیقه‌ی اول تئاترش را در یوتیوب دیدم، و دیالوگ‌هایی که موقع خواندن بنظرم معمولی بودند، حالا در کنار صدای خنده‌ی مخاطبان، فرح‌بخش بودند. فکر میکنم اساسا اجرا شده‌ی هر نمایش‌نامه‌ای خیلی بیشتر به دل می‌نشیند. پیشنهاد میکنم به جای خواندن این کتاب، تئاترش را - که لینکش را در زیر گذاشته ام - ببینید.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxcsY...
*
یک ریویویی بر این نمایشنامه گفته بود، از آن دست آثاری است که درباره‌ی ریاضی و این مسائل حرف می‌زند تا به مخاطب حس باهوش بودن القا کند.
زندگی‌نامه‌ی اوبرن را هم که نگاه کردم، ادبیات خوانده بود. اشکالی ندارد، ولی نشان می‌دهد چرا نمایش «واقعا» هیچ‌گاه با ریاضی درگیر نمی‌شود. حتا یک دیالوگ به‌غایت بی‌مزه دارد که اگر X فلان باشد، یعنی هوا سرد است و غیره. اتفاقا گودریدز هم این خط را نقل‌قول کرده بود از کتاب.
درست مثل فیلم‌های وودی‌آلن درباره‌ی نوابغ و آدم‌های علمی و دانشمند، اینجا هم ما فقط لفظ دانشمند و درس‌خون و نِرد را می‌شنویم، ولی به شخصیت آنها - آن‌چه حقیقتا هستند و می‌اندیشند - نزدیک نمی‌شویم. چون نویسنده‌های غیردانشمند نمی‌توانند درباره‌ی دانش بنویسند.
*
چند دقیقه‌ی اول تئاترش را در یوتیوب دیدم، و دیالوگ‌هایی که موقع خواندن بنظرم معمولی بودند، حالا در کنار صدای خنده‌ی مخاطبان، فرح‌بخش بودند. فکر میکنم اساسا اجرا شده‌ی هر نمایش‌نامه‌ای خیلی بیشتر به دل می‌نشیند. پیشنهاد میکنم به جای خواندن این کتاب، تئاترش را - که لینکش را در زیر گذاشته ام - ببینید.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxcsY...
April 26, 2019
The four characters in the play are well developed and the plot is interesting. The main character, Catherine, is a lively young woman who—having taken care of her mathematically gifted and mentally challenged father, Robert, recently deceased and appearing as a ghost or hallucination and during flashbacks—might have inherited both her father’s genius and his instability. For a while, Auburn kept me guessing whether Catherine had or hadn’t. Robert’s former graduate student Hal who becomes romantically involved with Catherine, and Catherine’s caring yet controlling sister struggle with the same questions. After several intriguing plot twists, the conflict is resolved in a difficult but believable reconciliation. This thought provoking, moving play addresses the inheritance of and relationship between brilliance and madness—in this case, probably manic depression—with compassion and insight, humor and seriousness.
May 4, 2016
This play follows Catherine, who as been caring for her ill genius mathematician father. But he is dead now, and her sister Claire and a former student, Hal, of her father has come, with the hopes of discovering something genius between the scrabbles. But Catherine has inherited some of her father brilliance, as well as his insanity. Soon Hal and Catherine begin something, but how will it end? If you do not wish to read this awesomeness, there is a film released in 2005 that was great as well.
This is the perfect play for a lover of mathematics and extreme drama, as well as mental instability. There is sibling rivalry but not for the most common used form, as well as the manipulation of a father over his daughter. Of course, there is also love, but it is done brilliantly. I take this as a love story over Outlander or Anna and the French Kiss any day.
This is the perfect play for a lover of mathematics and extreme drama, as well as mental instability. There is sibling rivalry but not for the most common used form, as well as the manipulation of a father over his daughter. Of course, there is also love, but it is done brilliantly. I take this as a love story over Outlander or Anna and the French Kiss any day.
March 20, 2021
Filme
“Let X equal the quantity of all quantities of X. Let X equal the cold. It is cold in December. The months of cold equal November through February. There are four months of cold, and four of heat, leaving four months of indeterminate temperature. In February it snows. In March the Lake is a lake of ice. In September the students come back and the bookstores are full. Let X equal the month of full bookstores. The number of books approaches infinity as the number of months of cold approaches four. I will never be as cold now as I will in the future. The future of cold is infinite. The future of heat is the future of cold. The bookstores are infinite and so are never full except in September...”
“Let X equal the quantity of all quantities of X. Let X equal the cold. It is cold in December. The months of cold equal November through February. There are four months of cold, and four of heat, leaving four months of indeterminate temperature. In February it snows. In March the Lake is a lake of ice. In September the students come back and the bookstores are full. Let X equal the month of full bookstores. The number of books approaches infinity as the number of months of cold approaches four. I will never be as cold now as I will in the future. The future of cold is infinite. The future of heat is the future of cold. The bookstores are infinite and so are never full except in September...”
January 20, 2014
the english teachers for the senior class are fantastic. proof was amazing. i loved that it was such a tightly written play, four characters and half of them female (as in life, take a note, entertainment industry), the exploration of trust and love and the relationship between mental illness and creativity). i loved that effortless plot twist, so early on. i loved the descriptions of the world of academia and the insecurity of intellectuals and yayyy
January 13, 2019
I've never seen the film, and I don't think I will simply because I cannot imagine it will do justice to this play, and I have a deep-seeded dislike of Gwyneth Paltrow. Nonetheless, I've always thought the premise sounded interesting, so I decided to pick up the original. I'm so glad I did.
I don't know why I haven't read more plays. This is only the third play I've read outside of high school that isn't Shakespeare, and I've loved all three of them. It makes me wonder why I was so dead-set against anything that wasn't a musical for so long, and makes me wonder what may be different had I been open to reading these (and doing plays) back in the day. But I digress.
This is a lovely play of family dynamics, relationships, a little bit of gender issues, and yes, math. (I loved geometry and proofs in high school, so maybe that's an added reason why I love this). The characters are engaging and well-developed, despite its short length, and the overall story is beautifully written.
I don't know why I haven't read more plays. This is only the third play I've read outside of high school that isn't Shakespeare, and I've loved all three of them. It makes me wonder why I was so dead-set against anything that wasn't a musical for so long, and makes me wonder what may be different had I been open to reading these (and doing plays) back in the day. But I digress.
This is a lovely play of family dynamics, relationships, a little bit of gender issues, and yes, math. (I loved geometry and proofs in high school, so maybe that's an added reason why I love this). The characters are engaging and well-developed, despite its short length, and the overall story is beautifully written.
April 22, 2024
David Auburn's "Proof" is a tale of madness, genius, our responsibility to others (e.g. family, coworkers), mental health, dark humor, and love. Maybe. It's a story of a father and two daughters. The father was a genius and deeply mentally ill. One daughter is a highly successful money annalist with an even more successful husband and living in New York. The other gave up everything to move back home to care for their ill father. Add to the mix a former student of the father's is dogging around. What does he want? Love? Fame? Both? Or is it really the math?
Auburn has done an exceptional job in creating his characters and his story. It creates characters that I cared about and a story I wanted to continue. Well done!
I'd recommend this play to anyone who considers themselves a "math nerd," or anyone who enjoys reading plays at all.
Auburn has done an exceptional job in creating his characters and his story. It creates characters that I cared about and a story I wanted to continue. Well done!
I'd recommend this play to anyone who considers themselves a "math nerd," or anyone who enjoys reading plays at all.
February 3, 2017
Reread this because a local theatre is producing it in a few months. Haven't read it since college (where I did a report on it and a bunch of other math plays/movies) but always knew it was one of my favorites.
After a quick read today, I realize I should have been more on the lookout for this production a decade ago. At 34, I maybe could play Hal, but it would have been a lot easier ten years ago.
The play is written so damn well (I guess those Pulitzer people know what they're doing) and it's great for any small theatre. One set, four characters, not a lot of crazy props or anything...
Act I introduces us to Robert & Catherine, a father and daughter who live together due to Robert's health problems. He was a brilliant mathematician who has been battling with madness; she was an upcoming math student at Northwestern who gave up her studies and friendships to take care of him. The scenes bounce back and forth between the days around his funeral and two different nights 4 and 3.5 years ago; 4 years ago, during one of his more lucid periods & 3.5 years ago where it's possible he was completely gone.
The aforementioned Hal is one of Robert's ex-students. After Robert's death, he feels compelled to read through the hundred+ notebooks Robert had filled in the previous years. Catherine is convinced there won't be anything in them, but Hal knows how much of a genius Robert was and can't risk missing something.
Claire rounds out the cast of four as Catherine's sister from NYC who comes home for the funeral. There are some great scenes between the two sisters where they fight like only (slightly) estranged sisters can fight. She's slightly out of her element around these other math wizards, but she also has some real life experience the others lack (some revolving around haircare).
The play has a lot of secrets & the way information is doled out is brilliant. I don't want to spoil too much but I totally forgot about the two flashback scenes in Act II—the way the connect to things in Act I (both directly and indirectly) are brilliant. I don't know how much of a math genius David Auburn is but he is definitely a playwright genius.
I forgot how badly I wanted to play Hal until I reread this play. He's the romantic lead but he also plays drums in a band made up of "math geeks" (one of there songs is called i (Imaginary Number) and consists of them standing around in silence for three minutes!). There's nothing too mathematical in the script (some fun number facts here and there and one outdated reference to the largest known prime) but there's still enough math-speak to make this math geek happy. It's a shame I missed my chance to play Hal—I guess I can always try to play Robert in ~15 years. He definitely would be a greater challenge, what with his differing levels of senility...
After a quick read today, I realize I should have been more on the lookout for this production a decade ago. At 34, I maybe could play Hal, but it would have been a lot easier ten years ago.
The play is written so damn well (I guess those Pulitzer people know what they're doing) and it's great for any small theatre. One set, four characters, not a lot of crazy props or anything...
Act I introduces us to Robert & Catherine, a father and daughter who live together due to Robert's health problems. He was a brilliant mathematician who has been battling with madness; she was an upcoming math student at Northwestern who gave up her studies and friendships to take care of him. The scenes bounce back and forth between the days around his funeral and two different nights 4 and 3.5 years ago; 4 years ago, during one of his more lucid periods & 3.5 years ago where it's possible he was completely gone.
The aforementioned Hal is one of Robert's ex-students. After Robert's death, he feels compelled to read through the hundred+ notebooks Robert had filled in the previous years. Catherine is convinced there won't be anything in them, but Hal knows how much of a genius Robert was and can't risk missing something.
Claire rounds out the cast of four as Catherine's sister from NYC who comes home for the funeral. There are some great scenes between the two sisters where they fight like only (slightly) estranged sisters can fight. She's slightly out of her element around these other math wizards, but she also has some real life experience the others lack (some revolving around haircare).
The play has a lot of secrets & the way information is doled out is brilliant. I don't want to spoil too much but I totally forgot about the two flashback scenes in Act II—the way the connect to things in Act I (both directly and indirectly) are brilliant. I don't know how much of a math genius David Auburn is but he is definitely a playwright genius.
I forgot how badly I wanted to play Hal until I reread this play. He's the romantic lead but he also plays drums in a band made up of "math geeks" (one of there songs is called i (Imaginary Number) and consists of them standing around in silence for three minutes!). There's nothing too mathematical in the script (some fun number facts here and there and one outdated reference to the largest known prime) but there's still enough math-speak to make this math geek happy. It's a shame I missed my chance to play Hal—I guess I can always try to play Robert in ~15 years. He definitely would be a greater challenge, what with his differing levels of senility...
July 19, 2014
وقتی فهمیدم که فیلم سینمایی این کار رو سال ها قبل دیدم پیش خودم فکر کردم با همون چیز معمولی روبروام اما نمایشنامه ی کار حس خیلی زنده تری داره. رابرت و کاترینی که اینجا دراومده خیلی عمیق تر از فیلم بودن با این که فیلمنامه نویس کار خود اوبورن بوده.
یه موضوع نسبتا ساده با یه پیش برد مناسب قدم به قدم جلو می ره با رفت و برگشتای به جایی که داره و جاهای لازم شوک رو بهت وارد می کنه و مشتاق می شی که ببینی ادامه اش چی می شه.
با این که موضوع کار به ریاضیات مربوط می شه (که من خودم ازش متنفرم) اما نمایشنامه نویس اصلا سعی نکرده چیزای خیلی تخصصی رو مطرح کنه و باعث بشه مخاطب زده شه خیلی ساده و مختصر می گه اما ابهت و خارق العادگی اون برهان رو می رسونه.
این کار رو خیلی دوست داشتم و متاسفم که اجرای ایرانی اش(یعقوبی) رو از دست دادم خیلی دوست داشتم رابرت رو با بازی سرابی ببینم چون در حقیقت دوست داشتنی ترین شخصیت نمایشه با تمام ضعف ها، ترس ها و بیماری اش.
تاثیرگذارترین لحظه ی کار جایی بود که کاترین به هال می گه که باید به من اعتماد می کردی! بهترین چیزی بود که کاترین با تمام حس زنانه اش و برخوردی که باهاش شده بود می تونست به زبون بیاره.
یه موضوع نسبتا ساده با یه پیش برد مناسب قدم به قدم جلو می ره با رفت و برگشتای به جایی که داره و جاهای لازم شوک رو بهت وارد می کنه و مشتاق می شی که ببینی ادامه اش چی می شه.
با این که موضوع کار به ریاضیات مربوط می شه (که من خودم ازش متنفرم) اما نمایشنامه نویس اصلا سعی نکرده چیزای خیلی تخصصی رو مطرح کنه و باعث بشه مخاطب زده شه خیلی ساده و مختصر می گه اما ابهت و خارق العادگی اون برهان رو می رسونه.
این کار رو خیلی دوست داشتم و متاسفم که اجرای ایرانی اش(یعقوبی) رو از دست دادم خیلی دوست داشتم رابرت رو با بازی سرابی ببینم چون در حقیقت دوست داشتنی ترین شخصیت نمایشه با تمام ضعف ها، ترس ها و بیماری اش.
تاثیرگذارترین لحظه ی کار جایی بود که کاترین به هال می گه که باید به من اعتماد می کردی! بهترین چیزی بود که کاترین با تمام حس زنانه اش و برخوردی که باهاش شده بود می تونست به زبون بیاره.
October 15, 2012
Wow. This is a truly fantastic play. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award, this is one of those works of art that makes me appreciate why we give awards for something as subjective as the creative arts. The play explores the themes of love, madness, and genius through Catherine, the younger daughter of recently deceased mathematician, who was brilliant but mentally ill. The play has a timeless quality that strengthens Mr. Auburn’s ability to craft a compelling story that is specific but open ended enough to leave plenty of room for interpretation by both the actors and the audience. Lovers of literature – even those who don’t normally enjoy reading plays – should put this on their reading lists. The more I think about this play, the more I like it, and the more I feel incapable of writing a review that does this play justice. It is, hands down, one of the best things I’ve read this year. Highly, highly recommended.
December 22, 2017
I'm not generally a fan of scripts, so I was really surprised when I realized I was actually enjoying this. It somehow managed to overcome the emptiness that theater and its lack of narration tends to suffer from on the page.
Loved the characters.
Loved the dialogue.
Loved the math background.
I'm excited to watch the movie and, hopefully, the actual play acted out sometime. :)
Loved the characters.
Loved the dialogue.
Loved the math background.
I'm excited to watch the movie and, hopefully, the actual play acted out sometime. :)
April 6, 2024
اول از همه دم نشر بیدگل گرم که چقدر فعالیت خوبی در زمینه ترجمه نمایشنامه های دست اولی تو ایران رو داره،
کتاب خوبیه، متن منسجمی داره، شخصیت پردازی مناسب و ترجمه قابل قبول
کتاب خوبیه، متن منسجمی داره، شخصیت پردازی مناسب و ترجمه قابل قبول
October 21, 2017
I haven't read a play in a long time.
This one was fun and just kept me turning the pages. The heroine , Catherine, was so perfect and captivating to me. She dealt with real pain and just had me rooting for her the entire story. I loved Hal. I love Claire.
And the scenes with Catherine and her father made me wish I was right in the audience watching this be performed.
This is a play that could make you cry. Bravo!
This one was fun and just kept me turning the pages. The heroine , Catherine, was so perfect and captivating to me. She dealt with real pain and just had me rooting for her the entire story. I loved Hal. I love Claire.
And the scenes with Catherine and her father made me wish I was right in the audience watching this be performed.
This is a play that could make you cry. Bravo!
November 1, 2020
A fascinating play that delves into the world of math and insanity. I really liked the quick dialogue, the right use of flashbacks and the hopeful ending.
September 21, 2012
In Proof: A Play, the author, David Auburn, tells the story of a young woman that explores her fathers work of mathematics to an even deeper understanding then she already knew of. Her fathers death causes a great toll on her state being but along with her fathers former student they uncover a secret in the notebooks he wrote. The main investigation that takes place in the story is how Catherine and Hal try to overcome their own obstacles as they try to discover the deep-rooted secrets Catherine’s father was writing about. Proof mostly revolved around the concept of mathematics and numbers, especially primes. For example, when Hal was talking to Catherine about her dad he mentioned a woman Sophie Germain who led the discovery of Germain Primes. He believed Catherine’s father had the same capability as Sophie. However, Hal hoped he could find the answers in the books. Despite all the math involved in the book, science was also a big factor. Robert, Catherine's dad, suffered from a mental illness which led him to write the things he did. As a result, math and science were greatly connected with one another in the story.
Eventually a proof that could change mathematics forever was found. But, Catherine revealed that she had written it. This caused a lot of tension between Hal and Catherine because Hal believed her dad had written it instead of her. After I finished reading the book I kept wanting to read more because of the fact the author didn’t fully describe what the proof Catherine had supposedly written was about it. That led me to question just how important it was because of all the drama it caused. I also began to wonder more about Catherine’s relationship with her sister Claire. Claire comes in the story early on. She wants to bring Catherine back to New York where she will become better. She begins to get afraid that Catherine is turning out like her dad. Its described that the 2 girls do not have a great relationship. One of the questions I had toward the end was what happened for the girls to become this distant. Overall, the book was a great read and I also learned more about the world of mathematics and the involvement of people in it.
Eventually a proof that could change mathematics forever was found. But, Catherine revealed that she had written it. This caused a lot of tension between Hal and Catherine because Hal believed her dad had written it instead of her. After I finished reading the book I kept wanting to read more because of the fact the author didn’t fully describe what the proof Catherine had supposedly written was about it. That led me to question just how important it was because of all the drama it caused. I also began to wonder more about Catherine’s relationship with her sister Claire. Claire comes in the story early on. She wants to bring Catherine back to New York where she will become better. She begins to get afraid that Catherine is turning out like her dad. Its described that the 2 girls do not have a great relationship. One of the questions I had toward the end was what happened for the girls to become this distant. Overall, the book was a great read and I also learned more about the world of mathematics and the involvement of people in it.
September 15, 2012
It is difficult to think of schoolwork when one is on vacation. Especially math… At least for me since it is not my favorite subject. Yet, I must admit that I found the reading I chose quite interesting and intriguing.
Not knowing what to expect from the assigned integrated science and math booklist I blindly picked Proof, A Play, written by David Auburn. The book is about an adolescent named Catherine who struggles with many issues created by the death of her father, Robert. Robert, a renowned mathematician, leaves behind some unanswered proofs that make Catherine’s life quite difficult when Hal, an old student of Robert’s, begins to sort through her father’s work and finds a proof of a theorem that may be an important discovery, supposedly written by Catherine. The book goes on to investigate whether or not Catherine is the author of the proof while at the same time deals with Catherine’s fear of having the disorder that her father struggled with, as he got older. Throughout the play, the author does a great job incorporating math ideas such as prime numbers, the imaginary number, theorems, and the main concept of a proof. An excellent example of the author’s integration of mathematical concepts is Hal and Catherine’s conversation about prime numbers and Sophie Germain at her father’s funeral.
Reading this play raised a lot of questions for me that I truly wanted answered. It awakened in me a curiosity as to what an actual proof looks like while at the same time it kept me interested in Catherine’s life decisions such as the debate of the move to New York over staying with Hal. I wished to see how an actual staged play would look like, acted out in front of an audience. I found the book to be very well written, providing just the right amount of curiousness, making the reader want to read more. I highly recommend this book to all your future students for it has turned me, not a math fan, on to mathematical concepts.
Not knowing what to expect from the assigned integrated science and math booklist I blindly picked Proof, A Play, written by David Auburn. The book is about an adolescent named Catherine who struggles with many issues created by the death of her father, Robert. Robert, a renowned mathematician, leaves behind some unanswered proofs that make Catherine’s life quite difficult when Hal, an old student of Robert’s, begins to sort through her father’s work and finds a proof of a theorem that may be an important discovery, supposedly written by Catherine. The book goes on to investigate whether or not Catherine is the author of the proof while at the same time deals with Catherine’s fear of having the disorder that her father struggled with, as he got older. Throughout the play, the author does a great job incorporating math ideas such as prime numbers, the imaginary number, theorems, and the main concept of a proof. An excellent example of the author’s integration of mathematical concepts is Hal and Catherine’s conversation about prime numbers and Sophie Germain at her father’s funeral.
Reading this play raised a lot of questions for me that I truly wanted answered. It awakened in me a curiosity as to what an actual proof looks like while at the same time it kept me interested in Catherine’s life decisions such as the debate of the move to New York over staying with Hal. I wished to see how an actual staged play would look like, acted out in front of an audience. I found the book to be very well written, providing just the right amount of curiousness, making the reader want to read more. I highly recommend this book to all your future students for it has turned me, not a math fan, on to mathematical concepts.
September 19, 2014
One of the best plays I have read in a long time.
It would certainly present some technical challenges in its production elements, especially in the way that it moves back in forth through time and also in between seasons (you would have to convincingly go from summer-now to winter-three-years-ago in a matter of seconds). Also, depending on the audience, the fact that this is a story with mathematics as its central theme may present an issue for some companies.
It is a strongly written script with natural, flowing dialogue. It is filled with high and low moments, loud and soft moments, naturally-building tension and small, personal conflict. The memory drama between the father and daughter is beautiful and heartbreaking, while the love interest story is sweet and touching. I think my favourite relationship in the play is between the two sisters though. Very little is more dramatic than sibling rivalry; even when these sisters are at each others throats in competition, you can sense that, underneath it all, there is a latent need to nurture and care for one another.
As an acting piece, there are some fantastic characters here. There is a whole range of objectives for each person on stage and they swing between them quite fluidly. There would be a lot of thought provoking character work to do for actors, regardless of who they are playing. A lot of character history to explore, a lot of intention to understand, a lot of high stakes and a lot of small moments of flawed emotion.
Great script. I would love to produce this.
4.5/5
It would certainly present some technical challenges in its production elements, especially in the way that it moves back in forth through time and also in between seasons (you would have to convincingly go from summer-now to winter-three-years-ago in a matter of seconds). Also, depending on the audience, the fact that this is a story with mathematics as its central theme may present an issue for some companies.
It is a strongly written script with natural, flowing dialogue. It is filled with high and low moments, loud and soft moments, naturally-building tension and small, personal conflict. The memory drama between the father and daughter is beautiful and heartbreaking, while the love interest story is sweet and touching. I think my favourite relationship in the play is between the two sisters though. Very little is more dramatic than sibling rivalry; even when these sisters are at each others throats in competition, you can sense that, underneath it all, there is a latent need to nurture and care for one another.
As an acting piece, there are some fantastic characters here. There is a whole range of objectives for each person on stage and they swing between them quite fluidly. There would be a lot of thought provoking character work to do for actors, regardless of who they are playing. A lot of character history to explore, a lot of intention to understand, a lot of high stakes and a lot of small moments of flawed emotion.
Great script. I would love to produce this.
4.5/5
October 26, 2008
"Proof" is ideal for the witching hours of the night, when you cannot sleep, idly flip television channels to idly flip television channels, and then toss the remote / click the laptop shut and wonder if you might be crazy.
Incidentally, that's where Auburn's play begins, and we are ushered into what I'd call Second City Gothic (sister to the Southern Gothic subgenre): a big, drafty Chicago house looms, complete with a clanking radiator, absent mother, ghost, tortured heroine wearing a key around her neck, and a supernatural object (the proof itself, which fairly glows).
While ostensibly about mathematics, the tense moments feature Catherine learning kindness--we cringe as she illuminates the shortcomings of her fellow players, but we forgive her impatience when she practices kindness with her father, too far gone to retort.
How far do you trust what you intuitively know?
When prowling our own houses where things go bump in the night, don't we all grasp for someone who believes in our logic--that inelegant architecture we build to explain who we are?
Incidentally, that's where Auburn's play begins, and we are ushered into what I'd call Second City Gothic (sister to the Southern Gothic subgenre): a big, drafty Chicago house looms, complete with a clanking radiator, absent mother, ghost, tortured heroine wearing a key around her neck, and a supernatural object (the proof itself, which fairly glows).
While ostensibly about mathematics, the tense moments feature Catherine learning kindness--we cringe as she illuminates the shortcomings of her fellow players, but we forgive her impatience when she practices kindness with her father, too far gone to retort.
How far do you trust what you intuitively know?
When prowling our own houses where things go bump in the night, don't we all grasp for someone who believes in our logic--that inelegant architecture we build to explain who we are?
January 4, 2008
I suppose that I shouldn't be surprised, but I enjoyed this play more than I thought I would. I expected it to be a bit dry, but it was actually quite lively and the relationships were well-defined (though I did feel that there was a certain leap to affection that was a bit rushed).
A minimal cast and a well-crafted tale brought this story to life. I would like to have seen it done. I will admit to wondering, even upon finishing, whether or not the young woman actually wrote the proof or not. Why don't we trust that it was her? Is it because she's a woman? Young? Why?
I enjoyed reading this from the viewpoint of a script reader. Does it have all the ingredients for a play to move from the slush pile to being a contender for a prize? Definitely. I most certainly would have moved this on. (And no, I don't say that just because it did win the Pulitzer.)
A play worth reading/seeing.
A minimal cast and a well-crafted tale brought this story to life. I would like to have seen it done. I will admit to wondering, even upon finishing, whether or not the young woman actually wrote the proof or not. Why don't we trust that it was her? Is it because she's a woman? Young? Why?
I enjoyed reading this from the viewpoint of a script reader. Does it have all the ingredients for a play to move from the slush pile to being a contender for a prize? Definitely. I most certainly would have moved this on. (And no, I don't say that just because it did win the Pulitzer.)
A play worth reading/seeing.
June 24, 2012
Proof was perhaps a complex play, whose message was lost on me. Perhaps there was no message, perhaps it was a feminist novel, perhaps it was about injustice of some sort. Most literature is about some sort of injustice. If it's about anything it's probably about fear and speculation, fear of aging, fear that you will never be successful in creating something that is beautiful and elegant and permanent all at once. Fear that when you die you won't even leave behind proof that you ever existed.
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