Production of 'Photograph 51' puts Rosalind Franklin back in the picture

Richard Duckett

Worcester Magazine

It's been called "the most important photo ever taken."  

Deoxyribonucleic acid, better known as DNA, appears as a double helix in the X-ray diffraction image Rosalind Franklin had overseen taking at King's College London in 1952. That image is also known as Photograph 51.

The photograph was crucial in explaining the molecular structure of DNA. Knowing how the corkscrew-like DNA strand was configured, scientists could determine just how genes, the building blocks of life, actually did their job.

But all the research glory went to James Watson, Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins, who won the 1962 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Franklin had been dead for four years. The three did not go out of their way to praise Franklin's for providing insight into the understanding of the material that carries the genetic information in nearly every living organism.

A life remembered

The feeling that Franklin was unfairly marginalized and overlooked is an issue American playwright Anna Ziegler explores in her play, "Photograph 51." At the same time, the play pays tribute to Franklin's genius and steadfastness. Productions of the play have included Nicole Kidman playing Franklin in 2015 on London's West End.

"Photograph 51" was to have been presented by the 4th Wall Stage Company in March, 2020, at the Worcester Historical Museum to celebrate Women's History Month, but the production was an early victim of the pandemic.

In another tale of steadfastness, 4th Wall will finally be putting on "Photograph 51" in conjunction with the Worcester Historical Museum for Women's History Month three years later, during a run March 16 to 25.

"You'd think I'd get tired of it, but Robbin Joyce and I really enjoy the play," said Barbara Guertin, 4th Wall Stage Company managing director, who is co-directing "Photograph 51" with Joyce.

In March 2020, the emergence of COVID postponed the scheduled production of "Photograph 51" with the initial expectation that it would be up and running in a few weeks.

The cast continued to rehearse for three months, but the realization gradually became "it doesn't look like COVID is going away," Guertin said.

When 4th Wall got the green light for this year, "we did have to recast most of the show," she said.

However, "in all honesty, our cast now is so strong."

The cast includes Lorna Nogueira as Franklin, Michael Legge as Wilkins, Ben Butkus as Watson, Fred D'Angelo as Crick, Ajay Jain as Ray Gosling (Franklin's graduate student assistant) and Madji Ammari as Don Caspar (a Jewish American scientist who corresponds with Franklin).

A persistent debate

The controversy about Franklin's role being shunted to one side gradually grew following her death from ovarian cancer at 37, likely caused by X-ray exposure. 

Franklin's work as an X-ray crystallographer led to an invitation to work as a researcher at King's College in 1951. Her previous highly praised research on coal molecules had been in response to the terrible smogs that would engulf London in the mid-20th century.

More:Selections from what customers at TidePool Bookshop are reading

More:New name, new home: New England Symphony Orchestra is now the Worcester Symphony Orchestra

The play depicts Franklin doubly up against the establishment by being a woman and Jewish. Wilkins often found her insufferable. Franklin wanted to do further research before running with Photograph 51, and didn't tell Wilkins about it.

Prejudice on many fronts

But as the play suggests, she soon feared on arrival at King's College that she was expected to be her colleague Maurice Wilkins' assistant in his DNA research.

"Rosalind wasn't able to eat in the lunchroom (at King's College). It was 'Men Only,' " Guertin said. "The time and the constraints absolutely impeded her ability to move forward with her research. Today, institutions are so much more inclusive than they were, but I would say anyone in that world has to be careful."

Watson and Crick’s paper revealing the structure of DNA was published in Nature in 1953. The two were at rival Cambridge University in England. Watson (brash, American-born, and now 94) had asked Wilkins for help, and when Wilkins found Photograph 51 he showed Watson the photograph without Franklin's permission.

.In the play, however, "you don't feel 'poor Rosalind' because she has such strong convictions," Guertin said.

Flawed genuises

How you feel about Watson, Crick and Wilkins is a different matter.

The play's structure often alternates between them giving monologues about their involvement with the DNA story and scenes of interaction with Franklin.  Gosling also serves as a sort of narrator.

"Ziegler does a masterful job in pointing out the main reasons Watson and Crick did steal her (Franklin's) thunder," Guertin said.

Also, however, "it's a great story about any pioneer - about what they did to get there."

Science on stage

Given the subject matter there is "a lot of science talk" in the play, Guertin said.

"But the actors are just first-class" in conveying it in a way that holds the audience, she said.

"You have to make sure that the dialogue gets across and that it's engaging the audience. I'm a method director. We do most of our work on the front end of rehearsals making sure every word makes sense to the actors. We want to have an effect on people. We want to make sure that it's worthwhile and that people think about it. We want people to still ruminate a week, 10 days later," Guertin said.

Encouragement for women, girls

Meanwhile, "I'm on the board of Girls Inc. It's super important to share these stories with young women," Guertin said.

They can "learn from all the women who have done amazing things - and don't think you can't try. They can do anything they want to. It's important for them to see a play like this," Guertin said.

More:Harvey: Worcester Public Library visit brings answers, memories

More:Down to the roots: Remembering the Old Vienna, Eleni's, and Worcester's folk heyday

4th Wall has previously presented plays dealing with science and the role of women, including "The Women Who Mapped the Stars," about five women astronomers at the Harvard College Observatory beginning in the late 1800s who pioneered modern astrophysics and created the celestial roadmap we use today but were largely ignored by history until quite recently.

"It's important to advocate for yourself, but also to recognize the women who have been marginalized," Guertin said.

Enduring, inspiring

4th Wall Stage Company, which debuted in 2011, has a stated mission to "present live stage theatrical productions which are of enduring interest and which inspire, challenge and entertain both our artists and audiences." 

In October 2019, 4th Wall kicked off its eighth season with "Naughty Bits," a bit of a romp in collaboration with Lowell's Image Theater, whose popular "Naughties" show is a collection of provocative, humorous and outrageous original skits and songs.

But that would prove to be it until 2022, when a fundraiser, "More Naughty Bits," and "If I Forget," a drama by Steve Levenson, were both staged at the BrickBox Theater at the Jean McDonough Arts Center.

The expected audiences weren't quite there.

"Last year it was tough. I think a lot of people were not ready to come out," Guertin said.

But 4th Wall has more "irons in the fire" for this year, she said. "It's great to have the Worcester Historical Museum. We're definitely planning some collaborative events," she said.

"Knowledge can only expand your mind and make you a complete human being. We (Worcester) are a science town. So many scientific inventions have happened here. That's just another reason to celebrate. We thought this ('Photograph 51') would be a great way to highlight Women's History Month," Guertin said.

'Photograph 51' by Anna Ziegler — presented by 4th Wall Stage Company in conjunction with the Worcester Historical Museum

When: 6:30 p.m. March 16, 17, 18, 23, 24 and 25; 2 p.m. March 18 and 26