A Small Play

 

Cairncross, The Soviet Spy :

What's the matter? 

Alan Turing :

Wh- What if... 

Wh- What if I don't fancy being... 

with Joan i-in that way? 

Cairncross, The Soviet Spy :

...because You're a Homosexual? 

...I suspected. 

Alan Turing :

Well, should - 

Should I tell her that I've had... 

Affairs with Men? 

Cairncross, The Soviet Spy :

You know, in my... 

admittedly limited experience, 

Women tend to be a bit touchy about 

accidentally marrying homosexuals. 

Perhaps not spreading this information 

about might be in Your Best Interest. 

Alan Turing :

I Care for Her, 

I Truly Do. I...  I-I... 

I just don't know if 

I can, um... Pretend. 

Cairncross, 

The Soviet Spy :

You CAN'T tell anyone, Alan. 

It's illegal. 

And Denniston is looking for 

any excuse he can 

to put you away. 

Alan Turing :

I know. 

Cairncross, 

The Soviet Spy :

This HAS to stay A Secret. 

*****

The Judge :

Cup of tea? 

Alan Turing :

No, thank you. 

The Judge :

Mr. Turing, can I 

tell you A Secret? 

Alan Turing :

I'm quite good with those. 

The Judge :

I'm here to help you. 

Alan Turing :

Oh, clearly. 

The Judge :

....Can Machines Think? 

Alan Turing :

Oh, so you've read some 

of my published works? 

The Judge :

What makes you say that? 

Alan Turing :

Well, because I'm sitting 

in a police station, accused of 

entreating a young man 

to touch my penis and 

You just asked Me if 

Machines can Think.

 

The Judge :

Well, can they…? 

Could Machines ever Think 

as Human Beings do? 

Most people say not. 

The Judge :

You're not most people. 

Alan Turing :

Well, The Problem is,

You're... Asking a 

Stupid Question. 

The Judge :

I am? 

Alan Turing :

Of course Machines... 

can't Think as people do. 

A Machine is different... from a person. 

Hence, they Think differently. 

The Interesting Question is, 

just because something, uh, 

Thinks differently from You, 

Does that mean it's Not Thinking?

 

Well, we allow for Humans to have 

such divergences from one another. 

You like Strawberries, 

I hate Ice-Skating, 

You... Cry at Sad Films, 

I... am Allergic to Pollen. 

What is The Point of -

of Different Tastes, Different... 

Preferences, if not to say that 

Our Brains Work Differently, 

that We Think Differently? 

And if We can Say That 

about One Another, then 

Why can't We Say The Same Thing 

for Brains... built of 

Copper and Wire, Steel? 

The Judge :

And that's... 

This big paper you wrote? 

What's it called? 

Alan Turing :

(exhales) 

"The Imitation Game." 

The Judge :

Right, that's... 

That's what it's about? 

Alan Turing :

Would you like to Play? 

The Judge :

Play? 

Alan Turing :

It's A Game. 

A Test, of Sorts. 

For determining whether something is a...

A Machine or A Human Being.

 

The Judge :

How Do I Play? 

Alan Turing :

Well, There's A Judge and A Subject, and... 

The Judge asks Questions, and, 

depending on The Subject's Answers, 

determines Who He is Talking with... 

WHAT He is Talking with, 

and, um... All you have to do is 

Ask Me a Question. 

The Judge :

What Did You Do 

During The War?

 

Alan Turing :

I Worked in a Radio Factory.

The Judge :

What Did You REALLY Do 

During The War? 

Alan Turing :

(laughs softly) 

Are You Paying Attention?