Jumpers

Michael Hordern as philosopher George Moore, from the playtext cover. Moore is about to loose the arrow and disprove Zeno's arrow paradox

Jumpers is a 1972 play by Tom Stoppard. It explores and satirises the field of academic philosophy, likening it to a less-than skilful competitive gymnastics display. Jumpers raises questions such as "What do we know?" and "Where do values come from?" It is set in an alternate reality where some British astronauts have landed on the moon and "Radical Liberals" (read pragmatists and relativists) have taken over the British government (the play seems to suggest that pragmatists and relativists would be immoral (Archie says that murder is not wrong, merely "antisocial")). It was inspired by the notion that a manned moon landing would ruin the moon as a poetic trope and possibly lead to a collapse of moral values.

The play was first performed by the National Theatre Company at the Old Vic Theatre, London on 2 February 1972 with Michael Hordern and Diana Rigg in the leading roles of George and Dorothy. Carl Toms designed the sets and costumes for the original production.

The play premiered on Broadway on April 22, 1974 at the Billy Rose Theatre and closed on June 1, 1974 after 48 performances. Directed by Peter Wood, it featured Brian Bedford and Jill Clayburgh. Bedford won the Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Performance.

A revival directed for the Royal National Theatre by David Leveaux opened in London's Lyttleton Theatre on June 19, 2003^[1] and transferred to on Broadway on April 25, 2004 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre and closed on July 11, 2004 after 89 performances and 23 previews. The Broadway show featured Simon Russell Beale and Essie Davis. The play received a Tony Award nomination for Best play revival.

External links

• Reviews
• Internet Broadway Database, 2 productions

References

1. ^ 'WhatsOnStage.com', 16 June 2003.

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