The Rep, 15th May 2003

This was an excellent play, which I'd consider seeing again (though I didn't get time). Charles Darwin is living in Malibu in 2003, spending his days lazing in the sun and drinking milkshakes served by a young American woman. Here he is visited by his comrade in evolutionary theory, Thomas Henry Huxley (T.H. to you and me) and also by his classic opponent and bishop of Oxford Samuel Wilberforce.

An intelligent and witty play, both you and the characters are looking for an explaination of why they are there (in 2003) and not, either as Wilberforce would have expected in Heaven or Hell, or in nothingness.

The original debates of the day are brought to life, with T.H clarifying his exact remarks upon being asked whether he was descended from an ape on his mothers or on his father's side. Apparently he didn't say exactly "I'd rather be descended from an ape than a bishop", but the soundbite version stuck.

Laugh out loud funny in parts, and seeing poor Wilberforce (although sympathetically presented) get an intellectual hammering was fun too. Well worth seeing!