BENGALURU: Are the choices we make a result of our own free will, or are there unseen forces shaping our decisions? It’s one of those timeless philosophical questions that has fascinated thinkers for centuries – one that sometimes haunts us in moments of doubt. Do we truly have agency? Or is free will just an illusion? This idea of choice and the freedom to choose has fueled countless debates.
Now, it is set to take on a new form with the premiere of Axiom of Choice, an innovative play written and co-directed by British mathematician and writer, Marcus du Sautoy. “Mathematics and theatre have both been passions in my life, and this is a wonderful way of fusing the two as this is a play about ideas of free will, Hindu philosophy, the Bhagavad Gita, and the concept of finite versus the infinite,” says du Sautoy, who is also the Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding of Science at the University of Oxford.
Supported by Infosys’ co-founder Narayana Murthy’s son Rohan Murty, and set to be staged for the first time in Bengaluru, Axiom of Choice promises an intellectual and emotional journey that blends abstract mathematical concepts with human dilemmas. It brings to life the story of French mathematician André Weil, one of the 20th century’s most influential mathematicians, weaving together his groundbreaking discoveries with the harrowing decisions he faced during World War II.
“I use the biography of Weil, one of my mathematical heroes, to explore a moment in his life when he is given a choice. I’ve never really understood why he made the decision that he made. So the play is partly using his story to explore: do we have free will, or are we just being controlled by the equations which push and pull the universe around?,” reflects du Sautoy.
The intersection of mathematics and theatre, for du Sautoy, is also a way to bring mathematical concepts to a larger audience. “I thought that theatre was a powerful way to communicate mathematical ideas to a non-mathematical audience,” he says, adding, “To actually physicalise mathematics through movement helps people understand abstract ideas like prime numbers or Fibonacci numbers. I also feel theatre was a powerful medium to communicate ideas – not just of mathematics but also of philosophy.”
Celebrating Indian heritage of mathematics
India plays a significant role in the play, both thematically and narratively. Weil’s fascination with the Bhagavad Gita and Hindu philosophy is a central element of the play. “An important theme is that Weil got very obsessed with the Bhagavad Gita. He also came to India and spent time here,” he shares, adding, “I saw resonances between Krishna’s teaching in the Gita – that souls are immortal even though our bodies die – and the idea of mathematics being immortal. A mathematician may die, but mathematics lives on.”
The play also celebrates India’s rich mathematical heritage. “Many people, especially in Europe, don’t know that zero was invented in India,” du Sautoy notes, adding, “Fibonacci numbers shouldn’t even be called Fibonacci numbers. So there’s quite a celebration of the Indian heritage in mathematics.”
While the play is grounded in Weil’s life, it interweaves the playwright’s personal experiences. “There’s a trip Weil takes to Gwalior with an Indian mathematician. That didn’t happen at all – it’s actually my own story when I went to see the zero in this temple in Gwalior. I’ve interwoven André Weil’s story and my story,” he says.
(Axiom of Choice will be staged on December 12, 7.30pm at Prestige Centre for Performing Arts, Konanakunte. Tickets at Rs 499 available on bookmyshow.com)