Mercury's Daughter By Martha Schermerhorn. FREE

Mercury's Daughter

By Martha Schermerhorn

Directed by Maria Brandt

A dramatic speculation on the marriage of Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes.

Sat, May 18, 3 pm

Free and open to the public  approx 1 hour  Talk back to follow reading

In this theatrical fantasy, Sylvia Plath recovers from her suicide attempt and remains married to her husband, Ted Hughes. When a letter arrives announcing their daughter has won a major poetry prize, Sylvia is alarmed and fears her daughter will end up harming herself in the same way Sylvia did. Ted tries to downplay Sylvia’s anxieties, which leads to quarreling. 

 In the course of their arguments, Ted and Sylvia grapple with what poetry means to them after they have both have abandoned this art. Asking the question: what happens when an artist of immense passion and talent cuts herself off from the art itself? Throughout, Sylvia returns to prod Ted about his probable affairs. Unearthed resentments come to the fore; blame, lies and hostilities lay exposed. 

 Ted tries to steady Sylvia as her rage continues to grow, struggling to separate dreams of their past and reimagine a future that might still exist. Reliving the night of her suicide attempt, Sylvia examines the choices they both made to survive together. Ted encourages Sylvia to move beyond fear and fury. Sylvia ultimately must decide whether or not she can move forward to embrace a life where poetry can happen once again.

Martha Schermerhorn is a local Playwright

Judy Molner - Sylvia Plath Christopher C. Conway - Ted Hughes Lizz deSimone - Reader