Splendid ‘Code’: Life of Sad, Inspiring Hero

At the turn of the century, Bertrand Russell wrote of the “supreme beauty” of mathematics, “sublimely pure, and capable of a stern perfection such as only the greatest art can show.”

Alan Turing was a Michelangelo of mathematics and logic. At Britain’s Bletchley Park during World War II, Turing broke the German’s U-boat Enigma code almost single-handedly, helping to turn the tide of war.

Turing then pioneered the world’s first “artificial brain,” ushering in the age of computer technology that has revolutionized society. Turing was rigorously truthful and disciplined, a true visionary whose genius becomes increasingly manifest. He was also a homosexual, a happenstance that led to his humiliation and destruction.

Hugh Whitemore’s drama “Breaking the Code” is a vivid depiction of Turing’s sad and inspiring life. It is directed by Daniel Henning, whose fluid staging results in a multilayered theatrical tour de force that challenges the mind and wrenches the heart.

*

Granted, Henning’s leisurely pacing of this three-hour drama could have been accelerated at points, but it’s hard to quibble when one’s imagination and emotions are so actively engaged throughout.

Henning is also the artistic director of the Blank Theatre Company, and this production marks the company’s debut at its new permanent home in the Second Stage Theatre. It’s an auspicious christening for this ambitious group.

Among the uniformly splendid performers, a few in particular stand out. As the police detective whose investigation into a routine burglary ultimately destroys Turing, Lenny Wolpe allows subtle undercurrents of sympathy and remorse to show through his functionary’s facade. Jill Andre plays Alan’s mother as a flighty but exacting matron whose unconditional maternal love for her son is not apparent until Turing confides his shocking secret to her.

John Ronald Dennis’ portrayal of Turing’s elderly mentor at Bletchley shows us the emotional quandary of a carefully closeted homosexual who is trying to save his younger colleague from the consequences of his own impulsiveness. Katy Selverstone displays grace and great emotional depth as a cryptologist at Bletchley who falls in love with Turing.

However luminous these portrayals, they’re mere satellites orbiting the blazing performance of Dennis Christopher as Turing. For those primarily familiar with Christopher’s films, such as “Breaking Away,” this play will be a revelation. Stammering and shy, intense and passionate, Christopher’s Turing is a tragic hero not only for our time, but for all time. Christopher’s lambent turn honors and memorializes a forgotten hero whose unique legacy continues to profoundly influence our world.

* “Breaking the Code,” Second Stage Theatre, 6500 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood. Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 7 p.m. Closes June 2. $22. (213) 660-8587. Running time: 3 hours.