REVIEW: Mesmerica

5:30pm • Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023 • Planetarium and Dome Theater

Settling into the Museum of Natural History’s Planetarium and Dome Theater to experience Mesmerica was like stepping through a portal. The show, imagined by James Hood, offered an immersive sensory experience that merged mesmerizing animations with Hood’s ethereal musical compositions. Mesmerica promised to transport viewers to a realm where we could let go of our worries and find a sense of joy in the present moment, and in many ways, it succeeded.

Designed for the unique physical allowances of a dome theater, Mesmerica enveloped the audience in a hallucinatory cocoon of visual and auditory art. The show was an hour-long journey filled with kaleidoscopic, abstract animations that danced across the dome overhead, perfectly synchronized with Hood’s ambient, new-agey music.

The visuals were a symphony of colors and shapes, constantly shifting and evolving, like a dreamscape brought to life. Each animation seemed to tell its own story, inviting viewers to lose themselves in its intricate details. In my favorite animation, a sprite-like blue star led viewers out of a dark nebula until we overlooked a great mandala wrought in bronze wires. We trailed behind as the star zoomed in and out of the wires, tracing lines of glittering dust that “activated” the mandala, which turned gold and pulsed with what looked like magic. It reminded me of attending fireworks shows with my cousins when we were little, where we imagined fairies being born out of every sparkling explosion. 

Mesmerica wasn’t without its quirks. In my personal opinion, there were some places where it took itself a tad too seriously. This feeling was particularly strong during Hood’s vocal interludes, which made the presentation feel like an overworked guided meditation. While the intention of promoting relaxation and mindfulness was clear, for me, it came across as a bit heavy-handed. 

Despite this minor caveat, Mesmerica definitely delivered on its promise of providing a brief vacation from the tedium of everyday life. The show served as an invigorating escape from my current, relentless world of midterms and deadlines.

In conclusion, Mesmerica was a uniquely immersive journey into the realms of art, music, and mindfulness. James Hood’s vision, combined with the collective creativity of artists from around the world, resulted in an imaginative and inspiring experience. While it may have risked taking the mindfulness concept to the level of tackiness at some points, the beauty of the animations and the soundscape created an enchanting atmosphere that was well worth the visit. 

8 thoughts to “REVIEW: Mesmerica”

  1. It had some interesting qualities. Would I reccomend it? Definately NOT, a great dvd for a good home theater.

    Poorly run show. Many constant talkers, an explosive special needs individual who “lost it”.

    It will only captivate and immerse those on LSD, which would make this an amazing experience, perhaps some heavy THC weed !! aside from that it is a neck wrenching, decent visual and audio show. Severly over hyped

    The 1.9 star review average is spot on

  2. I had a fabulous day trip from Morristown TN over the mountains to Burnsville NC to see this show. I wish I could put pictures in this review to show how beautiful it was to be on top of the mountains at the planetarium and with telescope look outs close by. The place & staff was were delightful as we waited for our show. Mesamerica was beyond our expectations. I bought the CD set for the lovey music listening to it frequently as a calming yet invigorating tool if that’s even a good description I plan to go back with more friends! ♥️

  3. No, not worth it. The music was tedious. While some of the graphics were okay, the majority were repetitive. Finally, as noted, the mindful meditation came across as pretentiousness. I thought it was just me, that I didn’t care for it because I’m not “arty,” until I heard a gentleman say that was 45 minutes he wasn’t going to get back. To each their own, but not for me.

  4. Nope, would not recommend. Perhaps it didn’t appeal to me as I’m not “arty,” but I overheard another person, on leaving, say it was 45 minutes of his life he wouldn’t get back again. The graphics were repetitive. The music was uninspired. The composer trying to be deep came off as a pretentious twit. I’m glad I at least qualified for discount tickets.

  5. I fill abused after the show was finished, this should be illegal to charge $80 VIP to get in to the theaters 5 minutes ahead of the rest to choose the best seats that no body guides you and you can end at the worst location, , what a scam. This show is not worth $5 bucks what a shame:

  6. This was an interesting experience, but, overall, I was disappointed. The music was too loud ( perhaps we were sitting near a speaker?) and very repetitive. It was impossible to let out minds sink back and relax with the volume. The images were beautiful but also a bit repetitive. Most were types of kaleidoscopes that zoomed by very quickly. I especially liked the dark skies, stars ,shooting stars and the garden scene with the sounds of birds.
    There was an extremely nice young man who was very kind and helpful in getting my mother and her walker situated. I wish I knew his name to thank him.

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