Proof is not just for the TI-89 Titanium-toting math geeks, as Director John Birchler says in his notes to the audience: “You don’t have to be a math geek to appreciate this play.” The witty humor is easy to find, but there are a few math jokes that will entertain any math geek. Catherine, played by Sarah Wasserbach, refers to her father during his bad years as scanning the newspaper and magazines for alien codes sending him “knock-knock jokes and fashion tips.”

The humor is not only in the witty and hilarious dialogue but also in the stellar performances of the actors. Graduate student Lori Snow embodies Claire, Catherine’s older sister. For several scenes she maintains a consistent cringe, as her night of partying with physicists comes back to haunt her. Wasserbach brilliantly portrays the varying moods of Catherine throughout the play, allowing the audience to feel her emotions and empathize with her.

Don Wheeler gives a wonderful performance as Catherine’s father, Robert. His witty humor keeps the audience laughing and the emotions high. He changes the scenes from ordinary to eerie by taking two steps and quickly changing his demeanor. The sets are simple, allowing the performances of the actors to shine; the lighting provides excellent contrast between the scenes. The actors also adjust their demeanors as needed to fit the scene, whether the scene changes from one day to another or from one year to another, conveying youth or maturity as needed.

Glenn Alkinburgh ’05 plays Hal, a doctoral student under the advisory of Robert. He shows the change from young grad student to older professor brilliantly, in both manner and appearance. The occasional moments of awkwardness and nervousness make his character relatable. He always seems to walk into arguments between Catherine and her family and is forced to stand uncomfortably until they remember he is there.

In one of Hal’s more inopportune scenes, he stumbles into the middle of an argument between father and daughter, revolving around how they eat too much pasta for dinner. Hal arrives in a rush, apologizing for intruding, so he can give Robert a draft of his thesis to go over. Robert and Catherine ask him for a suggestion for dinner, and he unknowingly says, “Well, I know this great pasta place.” Both shout at him angrily.

The act climaxes and scene transitions are easy to follow and sometimes unexpected. However, the set changes between scenes, while the audience sits in total darkness, seem abnormally long. As the end of the play draws nearer, the set changes become faster and smoother, while the humor keeps the audience waiting for more.

Proof does more than just entertain; it has a heavier side. Some of the different ways that people respond to mental illness in the family are shown. Proof also shows the other side of what many students are experiencing—that first step away from home for college, and how it feels for the parents. Viewing it from the outside lets the audience see not only what Catherine wants and needs, but also the wants and needs of her father. The tense scenes are well-balanced with the hilarious lines from all characters.