Fission: a Play by Gilles Messier

02/21/2026

The lovely cast of FISSION (L-R):

Xander Woodhouse as Dr. Louis Slotin
Lindsay Adams as Nurse / Scientist #2
Jonathan Mitchell as Coroner / Security Guard / Scientist #1
Darren Springer as Dr. Alvin Graves (past)
Markus Buhler as Dr. Harry Daghlian
Alyx Buhler as Sonia Slotin

Not present at first reading:

Brian Petersen as Israel Slotin / Erico Fermi / Leo Szilard
Andrew Doerksen as Dr. Alvin Graves (present)

01/20/2026

Louis Slotin's grave at Shaarey Zedek Cemetery on Main Street. Contrary to popular belief, Slotin was NOT buried in a lead-lined casket; having been exposed to neutron radiation, his body was not dangerously radioactive. This misconception likely stems from the fact that per U.S. military policy, bodies were transported in caskets lined with thin sheet metal to prevent accidental leakage.

12/06/2025

The first props are complete: the Demon Core and its carrying case! Prior to the arming of the Trinity 'Gadget' and Fat Man bombs, the 6kg plutonium core was transported in a case made of solid magnesium to dissipate the decay heat and covered in rubber bumpers to protect it from shock.

12/06/2025

Louis Slotin (centre in photograph, right in scale model) arming the Trinity 'Gadget' at Alamogordo, New Mexico prior to the world's first nuclear test on July 16, 1945.

12/06/2025

Most people are familiar with the Louis Slotin story from its recreation in the 1989 film 'Fat Man and Little Boy.' However, this scene is inaccurate in several respects. First, John Cusack's character Michael Merriman, while based on Slotin, is completely fictional. Second, the film depicts the accident as occurring during the War rather than one year after. And finally, the experiment shown in the film combines elements of both Slotin's experiment and that which killed Harry Daghlian eight months earlier, with both rectangular and hemispherical beryllium neutron reflectors.

Fat Man and Little Boy movie clips: http://j.mp/1JboFHmBUY THE MOVIE: http://j.mp/A5A9viDon't miss the HOTTEST NEW TRAILERS: http://bit.ly/1u2y6prCLIP DESCRI...

12/06/2025