New play tries to solve equation of love.
Nadine Thornhill wrote the play Complex Numbers, “a smart, romantic comedy with a twist,” which will debut as part of the Ottawa Fringe Festival on June 19.
Submitted photo
There's an equation for everything but sometimes the answers aren’t always readily apparent.
This is the premise of a new play, Complex Numbers, which will debut as part of the Ottawa Fringe Festival on June 19.
Written by Westboro sex columnist Nadine Thornhill, Complex Numbers is “a smart, romantic comedy with a twist,” she said.
The main character Fiona, a mathematician, tries to navigate the complexities of an office romance.
“As she tries to solve the equation of first dates, kinky sex and long-term commitment, she learns that the best answers aren't always easy,” said Thornhill.
The inspiration for the play came in the way of Thornhill’s husband, Phil Eisen, who works for Kanata-based security company Irdeto.
“The main character is a mathematician and I'm married to a mathematician,” said Thornhill. “I wanted to explore the idea of the office romance and do it in a way that is different then the way you see in romantic comedies.
“I wanted to explore what would happen if you had a relationship where people did the exact opposite…I would call it radical communication.”
Eisen helped Thornhill write certain parts of the script, throwing in technical jargon that lends credibility to the characters but that’s also easy for the public to understand.
“He filled in those little bits for me,” she said. “He’s a computer cruncher in Kanata. I hope there will be aspects of the play that will appeal to those people.”
In Complex Numbers, the characters are very explicit and forthcoming in communicating with each other.
“I think there's a different type of comedy that comes out of that,” said Thornhill, the playwright behind Ottawa Fringe Festival Best in Venue 2008 winner The Wedding Night and Best in Venue 2009 winner Oreo.
“Basically the play is about negotiating relationships but in a very unconventional way. There is a twist in the story…to the office romance that people will hopefully not see coming.”
Directed by Ken Godmere, Complex Numbers will open on June 19, at Academic Hall on the University of Ottawa campus, 133 Séraphin Marion at 1:30 p.m. More performances are scheduled throughout the following week.
“We would love people to come out,” said Thornhill. “I'm really hoping that the show will appeal to people outside the regular theatre going crowd.”
For more information, show times and ticket prices, visit www.ottawafringe.com/complex-numbers.
jessica.cunha@metroland.com