Pantomime brings physics to life at Manchester Science Festival
Posted on 14 October 2011
Ellie the Electron and the Quantum Circus, devised and written by Dr Yvette Hancock from the University’s Department of Physics, makes seemingly complex concepts such as Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle and electron spin understandable.
By using characters like ‘Ellie’ we can teach difficult physics concepts by capturing the imagination of children and inspiring them
Dr Yvette Hancock
In a performance featuring songs, dance and live music, the concepts are threaded through the exciting tale of an electron who becomes a star in Mr Pauli’s Quantum Circus.
Dr Hancock, who plays the lead role of Ellie, and a supporting cast of University physics students, will perform at MOSI (Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester) on Saturday, 29 October from 1 to 2pm.
The pantomime is based on Dr Hancock’s children’s book of the same name and is designed to appeal to children and the young at heart by presenting quantum theory using fun characters and an imaginative story.
Dr Hancock said: “Through Ellie the Electron and the Quantum Circus I want to show that physics can be fun and entertaining and that its concepts are easy to grasp. By using characters like ‘Ellie’ we can teach difficult physics concepts by capturing the imagination of children and inspiring them.”
Manchester Science Festival, which runs from 22 to 30 October, is an annual nine-day, multi-venue festival designed to inspire and engage people in science.
Tickets for Ellie the Electron and the Quantum Circus are free and may still be available at the door. However, advance booking is recommended to avoid disappointment. Visit www.manchestersciencefestival.com/whatson/ellie-electron.
Notes to editors:
- Manchester Science Festival is an annual nine-day, multi-venue festival with the vision of inspiring and engaging people in science (science, technology, engineering and maths). It is Manchester’s premier event for public engagement with science, promoting the region’s rich heritage of past scientific achievements and endeavours whilst showcasing current innovative science and engineering research and practice. Last year over 80,000 people visited the festival and 80 per cent of events are free. For further information visit www.manchestersciencefestival.com.
- For more information on the University of York’s Department of Physics visit www.york.ac.uk/physics.
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