Ada The Show

Zoe Philpott’s Ada.Ada.Ada., known as "Ada The Show," is a groundbreaking, interactive, one-woman theatre production that celebrates the seminal work of mathematician Ada Lovelace. In 1843, Lovelace penned what is widely recognized as the world's first complex algorithm, and "Ada The Show" transcends traditional performance boundaries to spark a worldwide conversation about technology, innovation, and gender equality. Conceived, written, and performed by the visionary interactive storyteller and entrepreneur Zoe Philpott, the show honors Lovelace's extraordinary life and profound insights.

This theatrical masterpiece embarks on a worldwide tour with a singular, compelling mission: to inspire the next generation of technical innovators and, crucially, to encourage broader engagement with technology and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields, particularly among girls and women. The production uniquely integrates art, transforming STEM into STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics), emphasizing creativity's role in innovation.

At its heart, "Ada The Show" is a meticulously crafted narrative that brings history to vivid life. Zoe Philpott, embodying Ada Lovelace, guides the audience on a journey through the 19th century, exploring the intellectual curiosity, mathematical prowess, and visionary insights of a woman a century ahead of her time. The show is renowned for its high-impact performance, combining evocative storytelling with cutting-edge technology. A central visual element is Zoe Philpott’s remarkable costume: an LED dress embedded with some 4,400 uniquely addressable LEDs. The performer controls these lights through a glove, creating a dynamic visual spectacle that illuminates Ada Lovelace’s abstract concepts as light, symbolizing how her innovations shine a light on the future. This fusion of historical narrative, personal performance, and interactive technology creates an immersive experience that deeply resonates with audiences, bridging the gap between historical genius and contemporary technological advancement.

A Vision for Female Equality in STEAM

The fundamental aim of this worldwide touring production is profoundly impactful: to address the pervasive female skills gap in STEAM. Zoe Philpott explicitly articulates her vision: "Ada Lovelace needs to be a household name, to be drawn upon in the same breath as her scientific contemporaries such as Darwin." This bold aspiration underscores the show's core objective: to elevate Ada Lovelace to her rightful place in intellectual history, recognizing her as a pivotal figure whose contributions underpin modern computing. Achieving this is a direct accomplishment of the Ada.Ada.Ada. project, aligning with a multitude of other initiatives striving for similar recognition. For instance, the show actively connects with the international celebration of Ada Lovelace Day, an annual event dedicated to recognizing the achievements of women in STEAM. Furthermore, broader cultural acknowledgment, such as Ada Lovelace being slated to appear on an English banknote, amplifies the show's message and solidifies her status as a national and worldwide icon of innovation.

Zoe Philpott’s hope extends beyond mere recognition; it encompasses a tangible shift in societal dynamics. She expresses a profound desire: "this project, by reaching people in business and in education will inspire people to look for ways to address the female imbalance." This sentiment highlights the show’s strategic reach into diverse sectors, fostering a collective responsibility for gender equality within STEM/STEAM fields. "Ada The Show" serves as a catalyst, part of the "wealth of positive action projects that are happening worldwide," contributing to a collective effort to dismantle existing barriers and create more inclusive environments. Zoe Philpott powerfully summarizes this overarching movement: "It is the zeitgeist: Ada.Ada.Ada. is part of the worldwide rallying cry for female equality," proudly championed under the mobilization of #AdasArmy.

Educational Impact and Ada Lovelace's Legacy

The educational outreach component of "Ada The Show" is robust and multifaceted. Designed for schools, businesses, public engagement events, and conferences, the show combines a high-impact performance with associated talks, workshops, and events. This comprehensive approach ensures that the message of Ada Lovelace's legacy and the urgency of STEAM diversity resonates across various demographics. For educators, Ada Lovelace's story, as presented in the show, is a powerful tool to challenge persistent stereotypes and encourage girls in STEAM.

Ada Lovelace, who collaborated with Charles Babbage on the first mechanical computer, envisioned how machines could transcend mere mathematics, seeing their potential to transform the world. By sharing her legacy, "Ada The Show" helps young girls envision themselves as future pioneers in technology. It sparks crucial conversations about why diverse perspectives are indispensable in STEAM, demonstrating that when girls are encouraged to explore, create, and lead, they bring fresh ideas that drive innovation and progress. This effort is not simply about individual student empowerment; it is about building a more inclusive and creative world.

The narrative of Ada Lovelace herself is deeply compelling and central to the show's impact. Born in 1815, Augusta Ada Byron, Countess of Lovelace, was the daughter of the famous poet Lord Byron. Despite her father's unconventional life, her mother, Anne Isabella Milbanke, ensured Ada received a rigorous education, particularly in mathematics and science—a rarity for women of her era. This strong foundation prepared her for her groundbreaking collaboration with Charles Babbage, often regarded as the "Father of the Computer." Ada was introduced to Babbage in 1833, and their intellectual partnership blossomed. Babbage had designed the Analytical Engine, a sophisticated mechanical calculating machine. While Babbage conceived the hardware, it was Ada who truly grasped its broader theoretical potential.

Note G: The First Computer Program

Ada Lovelace's most significant contribution came when she translated an article by Italian mathematician Luigi Menabrea about Babbage's Analytical Engine. In her extensive annotations, which ultimately became three times longer than the original article, Ada laid out a detailed method for the Analytical Engine to calculate a sequence of Bernoulli numbers.

Ada.Ada.Ada.

This detailed, step-by-step procedure is recognized as the world's first computer algorithm. More profoundly, Ada foresaw that the Analytical Engine could go beyond mere numerical computations. She envisioned a machine capable of manipulating symbols according to rules, foreseeing its application in areas like composing music, generating graphics, and scientific applications—essentially predicting the capabilities of modern general-purpose computers a century before their invention. Her "Notes," particularly Note G, are a testament to her visionary intellect and establish her as the first computer programmer.

"Ada The Show" meticulously brings the abstract brilliance of Note G to life, making these complex concepts accessible and inspiring for a contemporary audience. To fully grasp the profound significance of Note G, it's crucial to understand Lovelace’s unique contribution to the Analytical Engine's conceptual framework. While Babbage conceived of a machine capable of sophisticated numerical operations, it was Lovelace who possessed the unique foresight to grasp its true, broader potential, extending far beyond mere arithmetic.

Note G, fully titled "Diagram for the computation by the Engine of the Numbers of Bernoulli," meticulously outlines a step-by-step process—an algorithm—for the Analytical Engine to compute Bernoulli numbers. These are complex enough to demonstrate the machine's capabilities beyond simple direct calculations. The true genius of Note G lies not just in the calculation, but in how Lovelace structured the computation. She presented an intricate sequence of operations, a flow chart of instructions the Analytical Engine would follow. This included concepts fundamental to modern programming:

• Variables and Storage: Lovelace outlined how different values (variables) would be fetched from the machine's "Store" (memory), manipulated in the "Mill" (the processing unit), and then returned to storage. Her notation rigorously tracked the state and changes of these variables throughout the process.
• Sequencing of Operations: The algorithm prescribed a precise order of operations, ensuring the machine performed calculations in the correct logical flow.
• Loops and Repetition: Critically, Note G demonstrated how operations could be organized into sequences that could be repeated—a concept known today as a "loop." While Babbage had ideas about repetition, Lovelace's diagram and explanation explicitly illustrated complex iterative processes, including what is now recognized as a "nested loop." This was a pivotal conceptual leap from simple calculation to automated, repeated computation based on a pre-defined set of instructions.
• Branching: The presence of loops inherently includes conditional logic, where the machine would determine whether to repeat a sequence or move to the next set of instructions.

This meticulous, detailed, and symbolic representation of a computation, designed to be executed by a machine, is precisely why Note G is universally acknowledged as the first explicit computer program. It moved beyond merely describing a machine that could calculate to providing a comprehensive, executable plan for it to perform a complex, abstract task. Although the Analytical Engine was never built during Lovelace's lifetime, her algorithm has since been "translated" into modern programming languages and successfully tested, proving its logical soundness and demonstrating her extraordinary foresight.

For a contemporary audience, the concepts within Note G—abstract mathematical sequences, mechanical engines, and early programming logic—can seem daunting. This is where "Ada The Show" excels, meticulously bringing these abstract concepts to vivid, accessible life. Zoe Philpott, as Ada Lovelace, transforms the dry technicalities into a compelling narrative that is both understandable and inspiring.

The show achieves this accessibility through several innovative techniques:

• Visual Storytelling: Zoe Philpott's remarkable LED dress serves as a prime example. As she explains the algorithm's flow or Ada's insights into data manipulation, the thousands of lights embedded in her dress illuminate, change patterns, or trace pathways. This visual representation allows the audience to literally see the flow of information and the progression of the algorithm, making abstract concepts like variables, operations, and loops tangible and immediate.
• Interactive Engagement: "Ada The Show" is not a passive viewing experience. Through various interactive elements, Zoe Philpott invites the audience to participate, drawing them into the intellectual process. This could involve direct questions, prompts for imagination, or even simple physical actions that mirror the conceptual actions of the Analytical Engine. This active participation demystifies complex ideas and fosters a sense of personal connection to the history of computing.
• Metaphor and Analogy: While rooted in historical accuracy, the show employs powerful metaphors and analogies to explain complex mathematical and computational ideas in relatable terms. Lovelace herself used the analogy of the Jacquard loom weaving patterns to describe how the Analytical Engine "weaves algebraical patterns." "Ada The Show" expands on such insights, making the mechanics of an algorithm comprehensible to those without a background in computer science or advanced mathematics.
• Empathetic Portrayal: By embodying Ada Lovelace, Zoe Philpott infuses the historical narrative with emotion, personality, and human ambition. This personal connection makes Lovelace's intellectual struggles and triumphs relatable, motivating the audience to understand the underlying technical achievements. The audience experiences Ada’s journey of discovery and her visionary leap into the future of computation.
• Focus on the "Why": Beyond explaining what Note G is, "Ada The Show" emphasizes the why—Lovelace's overarching vision that a machine could process more than just numbers, that it could deal with any objects whose fundamental relations could be expressed by the abstract science of operations. This broader philosophical perspective resonates deeply with a contemporary audience living in a world transformed by diverse applications of computing, from music streaming to digital art and artificial intelligence.

Zoe Philpott's Vision and Worldwide Impact

Zoe Philpott's background as an interactive storyteller and entrepreneur positions her uniquely to bring Ada Lovelace's story to the stage. Her work sits at the intersection of experience design and STEM, allowing her to combine technology with the arts to create engaging narratives for diverse audiences. Philpott's extensive experience includes creating four-meter-high dancing robots for Ford, an immersive binaural experience on worldwide poverty, and a 50,000-LED interactive Christmas Tree installation at the White House. This background in large-scale, interactive, and technologically driven projects directly informs the sophisticated audience engagement and visual spectacle of "Ada The Show." Her motivation stems from a long-standing awareness of the lack of women in the technology industry, driving her to apply her storytelling prowess to address this imbalance and inspire new generations.

The show's interactive nature is key to its success. It emboldens its audience, particularly women and girls, to be more "Ada" – to embrace curiosity, creativity, and logical thinking in the pursuit of STEM careers. By engaging audiences with visual cues and Ada Lovelace's own inspirational quotes, the production fosters a sense of personal connection and empowerment. The performer's direct interaction and the dazzling LED dress work in tandem to immerse the audience in Ada's world, allowing them to visualize the abstract concepts of early computing and the boundless potential she foresaw. This active engagement goes beyond passive viewing, encouraging reflection and direct participation in the message of the show.

The show's worldwide reach is a testament to its universal appeal and the critical need for its message. The mention of it being a "worldwide touring production" confirms its extensive international presence since its premiere at the Edinburgh International Science Festival. This worldwide footprint allows "Ada The Show" to reach diverse communities, bringing the story of Ada Lovelace and the call for STEM equality to audiences regardless of geographical location. The consistency of its message across cultures reinforces the universal nature of the challenges it addresses and the solutions it promotes.

"Ada The Show" also contributes to the larger ecosystem of initiatives celebrating Ada Lovelace and promoting women in STEM. Ada Lovelace Day, celebrated annually on October 14th, serves as a focal point for recognizing women's achievements in STEM fields, and "Ada The Show" often aligns its presence or messaging with this significant date. The broader context of Ada Lovelace's growing recognition, including her being slated to appear on an English banknote, provides a powerful cultural backdrop that reinforces the show's mission. These external validations help to cement Ada Lovelace's status as a formidable historical figure and a contemporary role model, thereby amplifying the impact of Zoe Philpott's work.

In essence, "Ada The Show" is more than just a theatrical performance; it is a powerful educational tool and a significant component of a worldwide social movement. It leverages the compelling story of Ada Lovelace to inspire curiosity, foster innovation, and advocate for gender equality in the critical fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Through Zoe Philpott's engaging performance, cutting-edge technology, and a clear, passionate vision, "Ada The Show" not only honors a historical giant but also actively shapes a more inclusive and innovative future for generations to come, truly rallying an #AdasArmy across the world.