Physics Show: What’s (the) Matter?

2019-04-06 15:00 | 2019-04-06 22:30

The Bonn Physics Show comes to the Netherlands! The show with spectacular physics experiments visits Amsterdam for three performances on 5 and 6 April 2019. Tickets (free!) for the shows in the Compagnietheater are now available.

After successful short performances in Utrecht in 2017, UvA, VU and Nikhef decided to re-invite the Bonn Physics show to the Netherlands – this time for three full-length performances. The longer show, “What’s (the) Matter” was previously performed in Madrid, Lisbon, Beijing and London, and of course in Bonn, where artistic director Herbert Dreiner came up with the idea in 2002.

Spectacular experiments

Dreiner, who is an elementary particle physicist himself, found the way in which physics is presented to the general audience far too dry and boring, so he decided to create a theatre show. The result was a play for a dozen actors which involves some of the most spectacular physics experiments performed live on stage.

The story follows the two main characters, Maike and Lorenzo, as they travel through space and time. In the process they witness some of the most important developments in the history of physics. They are present when Ernest Rutherford discovers the atom, and visit the gigantic 27-kilometre-long particle accelerator at CERN in Geneva that present-day physicists used to discover the Higgs particle.

Three performances

On Friday, 5 April (8pm) the group performs a special show for high school students. The two performances on 6 April (3pm and 8pm) are aimed at a general audience. The physics institutes in Amsterdam offer the shows for free, but reservation is required. The number of seats is limited, so order your tickets soon! ‘What’s (the) matter’ is performed in English, but the show is easy to follow for those who don’t speak English as well.