James Baldwin, in The Struggle of the Artist, writes: “There is such a thing as integrity. Some people are noble. There is such a thing as courage. The terrible thing is that the reality behind these words depends on choices one has got to make forever and ever and ever every day.”
Actor/writer David Kaye, in this engaging biographical solo performance, gives us a vivid, narrative embodiment of what Baldwin is talking about.
The Haber in the title is Fritz Haber (performed by David Kaye), Nobel Prize winner for the invention of the Haber-Bosch process that made the production of synthetic fertilizer possible, thus preventing worldwide starvation. Over the course of this 50-minute confessional/apologia, Kaye’s Fritz Haber guides us through the life choices he makes that eventually result in his becoming known as the father of chemical warfare and the inventor of Zyklon (an insecticide that the Germans repurposed as Zyklon B and used to exterminate people).
Kaye gives a solid performance of a touching and cautionary story. The minimalist set (a desk and a chalkboard covered with chemical equations) allows us an unobstructed view of Fritz Haber’s confession as it plays out under the unforgiving gaze of a single, cold, and brazen spotlight.
Running Time: 50 minutes
Genre: Solo/Drama
Dates and Times:
- July 20 at 7:50 PM
- July 21 at 4:00 PM
Venue: Laughter, 1150 Connecticut Avenue NW
Tickets: $15
More Info and Tickets: The Haber Conundrum
The complete 2024 Capital Fringe Festival schedule is online here.
The Haber Conundrum
Written and Performed by David Kaye
Presented by Artists’ Collaborative Theatre of New England
Directed by Stephanie Voss