Sun Feb. 3

   "Copenhagen," which is now up at the American Repertory Theatre, isMichael Frayn’s work about a dramatic meeting that took place in 1941. It won three Tony Awards in 2000, including best play. It’s about a German physicist, Werner Heisenberg, who traveled to Copenhagen to meet his Danish counterpart – as well as his friend and mentor - Niels Bohr, considered right up there in Albert Einstein’s league as a physicist. Heisenberg and Bohr were on opposite sides of a race to create the atom bomb and end the war. “Copenhagen” features company actors Will LeBow (Bohr) and Karen MacDonald (his wife, Margrethe) with John Kuntz (Heisenberg).
    When the two physicists met, they took a ten-minute walk and had a discussion. Bohr’s wife reported that he was very agitated when he returned. What happened during their walk is of great historical concern. “They spent their entire lives after the war disagreeing about what happened during this walk,” said Scott Zigler, who is directing the play. “Heisenberg’s position is he was letting Bohr know he was dragging his feet in the development of the bomb, because he realized Hitler should not have a bomb. But he also thought ‘I am a German and I don’t want the bomb dropped on Germany.’ Bohr’s position is that Heisenberg is seeking his advice (on how to build the bomb) which is outrageous. Bohr has no interest in furthering the German cause. He’s shocked and offended.”

    Zigler says biographers have batted that debate around for decades. “Bohr released archives and letters,” said Zigler, “and historians came to Bohr’s defense. History indicates Heisenberg did his calculations incorrectly, counter to what he said, and that he was committed to developing the bomb, but failed at it. One crucial calculation was done incorrectly. In retrospect, he may have tried to cover that failure.”
         “Copenhagen” takes place after the characters are dead and dwelling in a vaguely defined afterlife. They come back to “life” to revisit crucial parts. What “Copenhagen” is, primarily, says Zigler, is a “family drama, there’s a family dynamic as Heisenberg was like a surrogate son. What’s so fascinating and people find so moving, is it tells three extremely personal stories within the context of the most significant thing that happened in the 20th century. It humanizes these figures that are somewhat mythic. It deals with the ownership of history, interpersonal relationships, history, and science. A strength of the play is so many people can see elements of their lives in the discussion of characters so removed from them”
    When it concludes, said Zigler, “There will be some confusion. At the end of the day, we don’t know what happened. People will leave the play understanding all history needs to be questioned on some level. There is no accurate record of history; there is a constant battle over whose version of the events are we to believe. What goes into this process of recapitulated event? How we wish to remember? Who won and who lost?”“Copenhagen” wraps today with a matinees at 2.  Tickets range from $39 to $79. (A longer version of the piece is up on the revamped www.newengland.com.)

64 Brattle St., Cambridge, 617-547-8300 www.amrep.org/copenhagen/.