Alan Turing was a British mathematician who has been acknowledged as one the most innovative and powerful thinkers of the 20th century. He became particularly important politically during the Second World War, making himself known as one of the first hackers when he collaborated with the British government when he broke the Enigma code that the Nazi army, navy and air force used. Turing handed the Allies the deciphered messages, who thanks to this where able to foresee several attacks, which practically earned them the final win and enables the bellicose conflict to end two or four years sooner, thus saving millions of lives (taking into account that during this war almost 7 million people lost their lives every year).
His research in cryptanalysis allowed him to develop the first digital electronic programmable computer, named Colossus, in 1943. Later, in 1945, he designed the programmed storage computer which he could he could change, with a single command, from one task to the next, a feat that at the time was unimaginable, thus becoming the forefather of informatics.
Turing was not just a patriotic genius , he was also queer in a country where homosexuality was still illegal. In 1952, Turing was arrested for having a relationship with 19-year-old Arnold Murray and after admitting to “acts of gross indecency” at a trial he was committed to undergo chemical castration. His conviction meant he lost his security clearance and had to stop work at GCHQ.
Two years later he was found dead from cyanide poisoning at the age of 41. An inquest concluded that his death came as a result of suicide. It took 60 years for Turing to be given a posthumous Royal Pardon and an Official Apology from the Prime Minister.
The queer community have always given the respect and recognition Turing deserved which has been manifested in several forms. Now the Invertigo Dance Theater at Cal Tech have produced Formulae & Fairy Tales a full-length work casting the life of Alan Turing, and the technicolor mythology of his favorite film, Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
The production places the cold, high-stakes world of mathematics, artificial intelligence, and cryptography alongside a vivid, twisted fairy tale palette. The choreography blends historical events, sexuality, gender identity, and our essential humanity. Sweeping video projections and an original music score create an immersive theatrical experience.
TURING TESTS, APPLES AND QUEENS December 6th and 7th California Institute of Technology
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