The Physicists

In the elegant sanatorium "Les Cerisiers," three physicists—Möbius, who believes he is King Solomon; Beutler, who believes he is Isaac Newton; and Ernesti, who believes he is Albert Einstein—are under the care of the shrewd psychiatrist Dr. Mathilde von Zahnd. The sanatorium, once a luxurious retreat for the wealthy and eccentric, now houses only a few patients in its main villa, as most have been moved to a modern, expensive new building. The central conflict arises when two nurses are murdered within a three-month period by two of the physicists. Inspector Voß is called in to investigate. He learns that Sister Irene Straub was strangled by Ernesti (Einstein) and Sister Dorothea Moser was strangled by Beutler (Newton). Both nurses were accomplished athletes, making their murders seem particularly shocking. Dr. von Zahnd insists her patients are harmless and that the murders are tragic accidents. She suggests that radioactivity may have affected the physicists' brains, causing their violent outbursts. Inspector Voß is skeptical and faces pressure from the public prosecutor to implement stricter security measures. During the investigation, Möbius's ex-wife, Lina Rose, visits with her new husband, Missionary Rose, and her three sons, hoping to arrange care for Möbius. Möbius, convinced he is truly visited by King Solomon and burdened by the responsibility of his world-changing physics discoveries, insists on remaining in the sanatorium. He reveals to his family and later to Missionary Rose his profound fear of his discoveries being used for destruction, a fear exacerbated by King Solomon's pronouncements. He dramatically recites a 'Psalm of Solomon' detailing humanity's self-destruction through scientific advancement, culminating in an apocalyptic vision. This outburst, coupled with the previous murders, leads to the family's departure and Möbius's supposed relapse into madness, though Sister Monika Stettler, a nurse who has fallen in love with Möbius, believes he is not truly mad and confesses her love for him. She is subsequently murdered by Möbius, who claims Solomon ordered it. Meanwhile, Newton (Kilton) and Einstein (Eisler) reveal themselves to be spies from rival secret services, each seeking to recruit or abduct Möbius for his groundbreaking physics theories, which they believe could revolutionize warfare. They confess to murdering the nurses to prove their supposed madness and avoid suspicion. They are apprehended by the sanatorium's imposing orderlies, who are revealed to be former boxing champions. The Inspector, realizing he cannot prosecute the physicists due to their supposed insanity and the conflicting interests of the secret services, declares a holiday for justice, leaving the physicists to their fate. In the play's final act, Dr. von Zahnd reveals her own delusion: King Solomon appeared to her, commanding her to take over Möbius's work and establish a global trust based on his discoveries. She orchestrated the nurses' murders to frame the physicists, ensuring their confinement and preventing their knowledge from falling into the wrong hands. The three physicists, understanding the futility of their situation and the danger their knowledge poses, choose to remain in the sanatorium, playing their roles as madmen to protect the world from their discoveries. They are last seen retreating to their rooms, embracing their chosen madness, while Dr. von Zahnd, now in charge, prepares to exploit the physicists' knowledge for her own global ambitions.