'Breaking the Code' play in Northampton a homage to Alan Turing
Turing died in June 1954 from cyanide poisoning and an inquest decided that he had committed suicide. However, biographers, friends and other students of his life dispute the finding and suggest his death was an accident.
Turing's work helped accelerate Allied efforts to read German Naval messages enciphered with the Enigma machine.However, his later life was overshadowed by his conviction and it was almost 60 years before he was pardoned.The pardon was granted under the Royal Prerogative of Mercy after a request by the then-Justice Minister Chris Grayling.Speaking at the time, Grayling said: "Turing deserves to be remembered and recognised for his fantastic contribution to the war effort and his legacy to science. A pardon from the Queen is a fitting tribute to an exceptional man."In 2017, thousands of men convicted under historic homophobic laws were also posthumously pardoned as part of "Turing's law".The law was an the amendment to the Policing and Crimes Bill and meant deceased people who were convicted of sexual acts that were no longer deemed criminal would receive an automatic pardon.For those living, it also meant that if the Home Office agreed the offence was no longer an offence under current law, they would automatically be pardoned.
Mark Edel-Hunt will take the role of Turing in Breaking the Code, which runs at Royal & Derngate from 11 to 27 September before touring to Barnstaple, Oxford, Peterborough, Liverpool and Manchester.It will be directed by Northampton Royal and Derngate's artistic director Jesse Jones and will be part of the theatre's "Made in Northampton" season.
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