Huntington Theatre Co’s new “Ether Dome” play, which recalls the early days of medical pain relief, has a solid Wellesley angle. It tells the story of Wellesley dentist William TG Morton, who took part in the first public demonstration of ether used as a surgical anesthetic in 1864and wound up being quite the controversial figure.
You can see a marker recognizing Morton’s role in medical history in front of Wellesley town hall.
The play’s reviews so far haven’t exactly been glowing (Globe, WBUR, Wicked Local) .
We did, however, give a solid review a while back for the Ether Dome itself at Mass General Hospital, which we recommend as a fun and free field trip if you’re ever in that part of Boston with a few minutes to spare.