“History thrives on the arrogance of hindsight.”

When I first read a draft of Operation Epsilon, I stopped at this line and read it again. The ideas encapsulated in these seven words reach far beyond the walls of Farm Hall in 1945.

The questions Alan Brody raises in Operation Epsilon transcend the subject of physics and the historical setting of the play.  Though I am not a nuclear physicist, Operation Epsilon still resonates deeply with me.  I have enjoyed exploring what makes this play tick, who these eleven men are, and what happens when we put them in a room together.  While I am sure that we will have our fair share of scientists and historians checking our facts and figures here in Cambridge, the ideas and questions presented in this play aim to strike a chord with a broader audience.

What reverberates so powerfully through Operation Epsilon is the fact that there are consequences to anything we create.  Whether a scientist or an artist, there are ethical, political, and moral consequences to the work that we put out into the world.

Many of the Farm Hall recordings and transcripts were destroyed after the war, and while this was a tremendous loss for history, it was an open door for drama.  Thus, one of the great challenges of working on a historical play is also one of its great opportunities. Much of Alan’s play is based on the actual transcripts that survived, but we have taken certain dramatic liberties in exploring these eleven men and their relationships.

I have had the privilege of working with Alan throughout this play’s development, and with each reading and workshop, the questions raised have become more potent.  Now, we are honored to be presenting the world premiere of Operation Epsilon here in Cambridge with The Nora Theatre Company.  I am grateful to be working with this extraordinary ensemble, who have all embraced this story and these characters with such passion, respect, and intelligence.