The Poetry of Mathematics
Dramatisation of the correspondence of Ada Lovelace, the young Victorian who predicted our digital age. Stars Sally Hawkins. From 2015.
All-star dramatisation of the correspondence of Ada Lovelace, revealing the intense inner world of a young Victorian Lady who anticipated our digital age.
Ada was the abandoned daughter of the romantic poet Lord Byron. Concerned that Ada might inherit her father’s feckless and ‘dangerous’ poetic tendencies, her single mother Lady Byron made sure she was tutored thoroughly in mathematics, and regularly prescribed ‘more maths’ to improve her mental health.
When she came out in London society, Ada met the man who would change her life, but not in the way most debutantes would have imagined. The distinguished mathematician, Charles Babbage became her life-long friend and mentor: Ada was fascinated by his steam-powered calculating machines.
Supported by her husband William, she defied society’s expectations, studying mathematics with extraordinary passion and determination when she was married with three small children; and later suggesting boldly to Babbage that he might like to work with her on his innovative thinking machines.
Ada Lovelace ...... Sally Hawkins
Lady Byron ...... Olivia Williams
Charles Babbage ...... Anthony Head
William ...... George Watkins
With Georgina Ferry
Producer: Anna Buckley
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in September 2015.
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Archive Acknowledgements
With thanks to Lord Lytton for permission to broadcast letters from the Lovelace Byron papers in the Bodleian Library (Dep. Lovelace Byron 1-460)
Letters from Ada Lovelace to Charles Babbage are in the British Library
Letters from Ada Lovelace to Michael Faraday are in the archives of the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET)
Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Presenter | Georgina Ferry |
| Ada Lovelace | Sally Hawkins |
| Lady Byron | Olivia Williams |
| Charles Babbage | Anthony Head |
| William | George Watkins |
| Producer | Anna Buckley |
Broadcasts
Mon 14 Sep 201511:00BBC Radio 4- Tue 13 Oct 201521:00BBC Radio 4
- Wed 14 Oct 201515:30BBC Radio 4 FM
- Tue 31 May 202214:30BBC Radio 4 Extra
- Wed 1 Jun 202202:30BBC Radio 4 Extra
Ada Lovelace: not your typical role model
The surprising discoveries made about Ada Lovelace during filming.
