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Waves, Particles, and Plays: My Unexpected Foray into Theatre

I don’t often describe myself as a writer—it’s not the first label that comes to mind. I’m more used to thinking of myself as a physicist, scientist, data expert, AI implementer, or even AI/ML strategist. Sometimes, I’ve referred to myself as an “author” since I’ve written four technical books (you can read more about those here!). But “writer” has always carried different, albeit positive, connotations for me.

So why bring this up? Well, I’ve been reminded recently that I have been writing for quite a while—mostly blog posts and technical or scientific papers. A friend pointed out that during my PhD days, I also wrote short stories, blog posts, and even some newspaper articles (you can find a few of those early pieces on my blog).

This all came up when I told some friends I was stepping outside my comfort zone with a new challenge: a 10-week project to write, edit (extensively!), and stage a short play centered on the theme of “Duality.” My first instinct was to write about wave-particle duality in quantum mechanics, but I quickly realised fitting that into a 10-minute play might be a bit ambitious! I may circle back to the idea later, but for now, I’m exploring other angles. We’re nearly halfway through the process, and it’s been a fantastic experience—quite unlike any other writing I’ve done.

This project is part of the Writers’ Studio program at the OSO Theatre in Barnes. Working with other writers has been incredibly rewarding. At the end of the 10 weeks, each participant will have the chance to collaborate with two actors and a director to bring our plays to life on stage. It’s both exciting and a little intimidating! If you’re around, you can support OSO and catch the performances on Sunday, November 17th.

So yes, I guess I am a writer—though still navigating what that scientist/writer duality means for me.

Are you a writer too? Do you have a favourite short piece written for the stage? I’d love to hear about it!