A review of "The Transit of Mercury Across the Face of the Sun"

The play was based partially on the book “The Art of Memory” by Frances A. Yates. The main character, Edmond, who was played by Pete Strand, is diagnosed with Kellery’s Paradox, which completely erases one's memory. His brain is “like a snake eating its own tail,” according to the doctor, played by Cait McKay. Edmond becomes panicked and he is scrambling to find his memory. The characters, who represent his memories, yell “DON’T FORGET ME!” as the memories go quickly through his head. He has a collection of stones that are memories from the past, which he seeks to regain. Edmond attempts to build a “memory house." 

His grandfather, who discovered the planet Mercury, also had the same disease, so he goes off to Montana to find him. Along the way Edmond meets many different people, during which time the ensemble dances, acts, and sings. They are demon-like, and say “HE WILL NOT KNOW YOU!" that he will lose his memory, and his grandfather will be dead. He realizes some memories are painful when he stops by a field and looks at the stars, which causes him to become more distraught. Edmond progressively becomes more confused as peoples’ thoughts run through his head. In the end, he does lose his memory, but it is not all together a bad thing.  

Edmond has nothing holding him back; the rocks were like weights, pulling him down. He was unable to move on with his life , but now that he has forgotten everything he can easily do that.  “He was given the chance to start over and reinvent his entire life, which creates an ending of hope,” said Kristin Kerrigan, the prop master.

There can be many different perceptions of this play. Junior Saige Kelmelis, who went to see the play, said, “[Edmond’s] memories and life around him began to attack and bombard him to the point when everything just turned chaotic and everything left him. The resolution of the play is when he continues to live beyond forgetting the past and the freedom he has from letting go of the burden he was carrying. The stones he carries represent the weight of memories and the energy he has when he lets go shows the freedom he has to live life and make new memories (the people, if you noticed, changed from dark clothing to light). The search for his grandfather is another stone he carried that was a burden of the past and when he put the stone on his grandfather's grave (revisiting what he said about the Jewish practice of putting stones on graves) he is showing that he has let go and that he has moved ‘past the eclipse of mercury across the sun.’ I think the message was that the past is a burden and can hold you down and you should not allow memories to forbid you from living freely.”

Edmond displayed a lot of gymnastic-like movement. The dancing was very modern and the music was both classical and modern. The costumes went from contemporary to old-fashioned/contemporary. The whole cast was phenomenal, and the crew did an amazing job on the setting, props, lights, and even the projector/slide show that played throughout the play. In the beginning of the play the lights went on and off and each time they went back on the characters were in a different position, and/or there were more or less people on stage. It gave the setting a very chaotic and supernatural feel. The cast sang behind the audience and they were everywhere. You really had to pay close attention to everything that was going on. It was very confusing to take it all in, but everything came together in the end.

Personally, I was quite confused towards the beginning, but as it went on I figured things out and put them together. Lawson did say it was like a puzzle and all of the puzzle pieces fit together. I thoroughly enjoyed this play, and I loved trying to think of ways things connected. I have seen many plays/theater productions and this was something very original. 

The hallway, where the audience had to walk through, was strange but helpful. It contained heads, symbolizing Edmond’s memories, and even the red door. The program was very unique; each page had something on it that was related to the play in some way. The first two pages said, “One small step for man,” had many space photos because they kept mentioning satellites and the government, and because Edmond’s grandfather discovered Mercury. The program also contained information about the book the play was based off of.     

“I liked the play a lot. It was very well-written, and the actors and actresses were convincing. I enjoyed the symbolism in the play,” said freshman Sherese Ponder.

The play was entered in the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF). “The Transit of Mercury Across the Face of the Sun,” was written and directed by Robert Lawson, choreographed by Sally Bomer, scenic design by Lee Dunholter, lighting design by James McNamara, and costume design by Anna Thomford.