Nearer the Gods — Queensland Theatre

Overview

Thanks to Isaac Newton and his three laws of motion, the world knows all about inertia, acceleration and equal but opposing forces. That said, if it wasn't for astronomer Edmund Halley — yes, the man that Halley's comet is named after — Newton's groundbreaking discoveries mightn't have happened.

If you're wondering why and how, then Nearer the Gods is the new play for you. And even if you're not currently pondering the situation, this world-premiere effort turns one of humankind's great scientific moments into a star-studded on-stage drama. Hitting Bille Brown Theatre for a four-week run, the theatre production plays from Saturday, October 6 to Saturday, November 3.

Written by David Williamson, directed by Sam Strong, and starring Matthew Backer, William McInnes and Rhys Muldoon, Queensland Theatre's latest effort spins the story you probably didn't study in high school. It comes complete with squabbles, collaborations, politics, rivalries and struggles that hark back more than three centuries — and a dash of black humour mixing with scientific brilliance.