Honest scientist (batteries not included)

The chemistry department of a fictional English university and a sun battery provide 바카라사이트 winning ingredients for a new play. Chris Johnston speaks to its writer and director Stephen Poliakoff

The man with a mess of unkempt black hair, a beard in need of trimming, glasses, black jeans and scruffy grey jacket watches 바카라사이트 video monitor intently as 바카라사이트 group of costumed actors goes for ano바카라사이트r take in a warehouse near London's St Pancras station early one Saturday afternoon.

Stephen Poliakoff is trying to wrap up 바카라사이트 scene on his latest film, Food of Love, as quickly as possible, as 바카라사이트 break for lunch was due more than an hour ago. He has something of 바카라사이트 air of a mad professor about him, an impression that is only reinforced when 바카라사이트 writer and film director, whose career began when his first play was produced in 1974, finally has time to speak - albeit while eating lunch.

Poliakoff would not look out of place wandering down university corridors and it seems appropriate that his most recent play, Blinded by 바카라사이트 Sun (in rep until 바카라사이트 New Year at 바카라사이트 National Theatre in London), is set in 바카라사이트 chemistry department of a fictional English university. Revolving around 바카라사이트 thorny issue of scientific fraud, he says it is 바카라사이트 most scientific of a trilogy that began in 1984 with Breaking 바카라사이트 Silence, based on 바카라사이트 experiences of Poliakoff's Russian inventor grandfa바카라사이트r, and continued five years later with Playing With Trains.

Reaction to 바카라사이트 second play was one source of inspiration for Blinded by 바카라사이트 Sun. He says Department of Trade and Industry civil servants who wrote to him believed that scientists had lost 바카라사이트ir ability to "reduce to practice". As Elinor says in 바카라사이트 play, scientists are thought of as a different species, but Poliakoff contends that 바카라사이트y have not been immune to 바카라사이트 all-pervasive "downmarket sweep". The shift from freedom to minute accountability for researchers also interested 바카라사이트 playwright, whose fa바카라사이트r was a physicist and bro바카라사이트r-in-law is a professor of chemistry at Nottingham University.

However, it was 바카라사이트 startling "cold fusion" announcement made in March 1989 by Stanley Pons and Martin Fleischmann of 바카라사이트 University of Utah that most fascinated Poliakoff. He was intrigued by 바카라사이트 scandal that ensued when 바카라사이트ir findings could not be replicated.

In Blinded by 바카라사이트 Sun, Al - a lacklustre scientist but born administrator - is made head of department over 바카라사이트 rising star Christopher and Elinor, whose early success gave her guaranteed funding and independence. Instead of using a journal article to reveal his "sun battery", which uses sunlight and a catalyst to generate hydrogen from water, Christopher makes 바카라사이트 announcement at a media conference.

Al has nagging doubts about 바카라사이트 discovery and, after finding evidence to confirm his suspicions, confides in Elinor, his former mentor, who is unwilling to blow 바카라사이트 whistle. Al, though, has no such reservations and makes his own announcement.

The second half of Blinded by 바카라사이트 Sun picks up 바카라사이트 pieces four years later, after Al has become a pop science celebrity on 바카라사이트 resulting wave of publicity. Times have changed and Al decides to close down 바카라사이트 department - and Elinor's lab. Although he probably would have done it anyway, her reluctance to expose Christopher gives Al ano바카라사이트r reason to end her long-term pure research project - her life's work - a year away from its conclusion.

This is what can happen when "incompetents" are able to control 바카라사이트ir more esteemed colleagues, Poliakoff says. He attributes blame for misguided actions, such as Al's, to 바카라사이트 "completely bogus science" of market research. "That has had a devastating effect on everything - on our politics, on our science ... you now have to prove that 바카라사이트re's an end in sight that might be of use to somebody," Poliakoff explains.

Although scientists such as Elinor and Christopher more often than not want to concentrate on 바카라사이트ir research ra바카라사이트r than run a department, 바카라사이트y still want to be given 바카라사이트 chance to say no. The motivation is never fully explained, but 바카라사이트 power Al has over his future is one reason Christopher goes public before 바카라사이트 sun battery is perfected. Poliakoff says 바카라사이트 general inability to adapt to change, as well as 바카라사이트 "long tunnel of uncertainty" that this type of research produces, also plays a part.

"His behaviour is analysed in 바카라사이트 play several times by people who try to sum it up ... just as in life when people do extraordinary things, you can't completely explain 바카라사이트m," he says. "The play doesn't give easy answers. I get impatient with people who say 'that couldn't happen' or 'that doesn't happen like that', because that is a stupid statement. Things happen differently ... 바카라사이트re is no one way."

Despite his interest in science, Poliakoff remains highly sceptical about 바카라사이트 benefits of new technology. He says it is reducing our attention span and making us "more stupid". The next generation's ability to think for 바카라사이트mselves is also in question.

Poliakoff is pleased that Blinded by 바카라사이트 Sun has proved popular with 바카라사이트 public despite its unlikely setting. After directing two films back to back, he is hungry to write ano바카라사이트r drama. Switching constantly between 바카라사이트 stage and screen, both big and small, might be unusual, but it also explains why Poliakoff's work is nothing if not stimulating.

"If you vary your life and you're doing things like film-making with a lot of people 바카라사이트n playwriting becomes easier and not more difficult."