Central Works in Berkeley (2315 Durant Ave., Berkeley) will be hosting yet another world premiere with Ada and the Memory Engine, a play that honors women’s achievements in math and science. The story follows a young Ada Lovelace — the real-life daughter of famed poet Lord Byron — just as the industrial revolution is coming to a close. After becoming inspired by longtime friend Charles Babbage, who is credited with inventing the computer, Ada begins to fantasize about a new reality in which the boundaries between art and science converge. She seeks out to create a machine that will solve difficult algorithms — the first ever memory engine — but it’s not an easy task. Lauren Gunderson, who has written several plays about women’s roles in male-dominated academic disciplines, authored the play, and Central Works’ Gary Graves takes the helm in the director’s chair. If you’re a fan of both romance and technology, this one’s for you: The play’s promoters are likening it to a meeting between Steve Jobs and Jane Austen.
.Ada and the Memory Engine
At Central Works in Berkeley.