Representations of surface groups with finite mapping class group orbits (Q1743758)

For groups \(G,H\) let \(\mathcal R(H,G)=\mathrm{Hom}(H,G)\) be the representation variety of \(H\). The authors show: Theorem 1.1. Let \(S\) be a closed, orientable surface of genus at least 2 and \(H=\pi_1(S)\) or \(F_n\) the free group on \(n\) generators. Let \(G\) be an arbitrary group. Assume that \(\rho\in\mathcal R(H,G)\) has a finite orbit under the action of \(\mathrm{Aut}(H)\). Then \(\rho(H)\) is finite. The authors show with an example, that Theorem 1.1 fails for a general group \(H\).