Caryl Churchill's A Number, whose plot was a closely-guarded secret before the play opened at the Royal Court on Sept. 26, turned out to be centered on the issues raised by cloning.
What would it be like to discover that you weren't just "you" — there were in fact "a number" of genetically identical you's out there — and some of them may not like the idea of your being around as well.
How can a father — especially one with a guilty past — relate to more than one example of the same child? And how would the personalities of what is genetically the same person differ, depending on the circumstances of their upbringing?
Stephen Daldry's minimalist production, starring Michael Gambon (as the father) and Daniel Craig (as three of the "number") attracted a predictably packed house, with the audience including theatrical luminaries like Sir Peter Hall.
—By Theatrenow
