The Mathematics of Change

Mathematics, autobiography, and humor are combined in this faux "lecture," a one-man show directed by Jacob Kornbluth featuring the filmmaker's hyperactive math prodigy brother, Josh Kornbluth, performing his routine in a classroom setting at Berkeley California's Mathematical Sciences Research Institute. Presented off-Broadway and on tour, The Mathematics of Change finds Josh recalling his early life, noting that his left-wing father also shared his son's passion for mathematics, and describing his introduction to the Princeton University campus, which was home to math prodigies and nerds. Josh's overheated brain propels him from one topic to another here, although he rarely alights on mathematics, and eventually reaches the outer limits of coherence. While the "lecture" resists any precise description, some of the text is based on Josh's 1996 memoir Red Diaper Baby. Not for every taste, but a creditable effort to try something different, this is a strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)