Maths enthusiasts take the stage

Maths in the theatre—can that really be serious? Absolutely! From the maths teacher at the blackboard, embodying abstract mathematics before their students, to the actor on stage playing an imaginary character, it may be only a short step—one that many enthusiasts have taken. And in this field, imagination reigns supreme, so anything goes!

An extraordinary variety of initiatives ---------------------------------------

Without even venturing into choreography, juggling or dance, the theatre is bursting with original initiatives for exploring mathematics. With his props, prodigious memory and… famous magic square, Benoît Rosemont reinvents the mentalism show (see the opening article in this feature). The one-man show format has proved a hit for Manu Houdart (currently touring several French cities; see inside front cover and page 50) and Luc Chareyron (featured at the start of this dossier with his show Éloge de la pifométrie). Maths is put on display, acted out and declaimed… These snapshots attest to the diversity of approaches! All that is missing is a mathematical mime…

Get in touch! -------------

If you perform in or create mathematical shows, do not hesitate to get in touch with our editorial team. Send us the dates of your upcoming shows, and we will feature them in the calendar pages across our various platforms.

Nelly Morgenstern and Adeline Chagneau in the science play Pluton va en appel ! (2013), by Sciences et mathématiques en action (Smac).

Nelly Morgenstern, Julie-Anne Leblanc and Adeline Chagneau,

in the science play Pluton va en appel ! (2013) by Sciences et mathématiques en action (Smac).

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Samuel Gagnon, a young mathematician and science communicator, illustrates some properties of the barycenter (regarded as the body's center of gravity), under the watchful eye of Jean-Marie De Koninck.

Nicolas Lormeau (above right), a full member of the Comédie-Française, and actor Romain Dutheil (left) explore the combinatorics of permutations generated at random by the word spinner ("baratamo").

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