Proof

This drama of family and formulae become a Broadway sensation at the beginning of the century, and was prematurely hailed as a new American classic.

However, it was only David Auburn's second play, and in parts of the script this really shows. Early on, one character tells another: “When your dad was younger than both of us, he made major contributions to three fields: game theory, algebraic geometry...” with all the naturalism of a megaphone address to the audience.

Theatre about brain-boggling fields need not be alienating, as director Ian Grieve demonstrated a few years ago with Humble Boy, a brilliant comedy about metaphysics.

However, his production of Auburn's play gets off to a shaky start and never really bursts into life, and much of the blame for this lies with one of Kenny Miller's costumes. When we're introduced to Catherine (Neve McIntosh) on her 25th birthday, she's curled up in a chair with a magazine, wearing a crisp white shirt, little pants and trendy woollen socks. She looks like she's starring in a Marks and Spencer Christmas advert; actually, she's depressed.

After an awkward first scene, the plot follows an entirely predictable path. While the cast do their best to bring two-dimensional characters to life (and Helen Logan gives an enjoyable turn as Catherine's brash sister Claire), what's missing is a sense of why we should care about anything that happens.

The proof of the title remains a mystery, the story's most dramatic events are in the past (but not captured by any of the flashbacks) and, despite all the references to madness, ultimately all that seems to be at stake is a semi-decent job at a university.