Simon McBurney’s production for Complicite of ‘A Disappearing Number’ presented at the Sydney Theatre in November was one of the theatrical highlights of 2008. The show combined a fantastic storyline with stunning production values.

‘A Disappearing Number’ had two primary storylines. The main storyline featured the developing collaboration in the early 20th century between two of the finest mathematicians of the century; Cambridge University don G.H.Hardy and the brilliant young Brahman mathematician from South India, Srinivasa Ramanujan. McBurney complemented this narrative with a present day storyline of the troubled relationship of a man with his maths lecturer partner. She travels to Indian in Ramanujan’s footsteps and eventually dies. He follows, to get closer to her and Ramanujan’s ghost.

‘A Disappearing Number’ was about a lot of things. It was about mathematics and beauty…about the imagination and the nature of infinity…about what is continuous and what is permanent…how we are attracted to the past and how we affect the future…how we create and how we love.

The show was conceived and directed by Simon McBurney and the Company. David Annen played Hardy, Shane Shambhu played Ramanujan, Saskia Reeves played Ruth Minnen and Firdous Bamji played Al Cooper.

‘A Disappearing Number’ played the Sydney Theatre, Walsh Bay from the 19th November to the 2nd December 2008.