Lunar Eclipse is a mild investigation into a decades-old marriage that still has some mystery left in the saddlebags. Reed Birney as George and Lisa Emery as Em imbue every ounce of their considerable talents into their characters, but it is not quite enough to make this production soar.

Donald Margulies has written a story that, at first glance, is chock-a-block full of metaphors and symbolism. Set in Western Kentucky, it is the night of a lunar eclipse.  The eclipse offers lessons in life, continuity, time – all the biggies.  They can look back on the passage of time reflected in their decades-old relationship and look up at the moon and see time passing in the here and now.  There is mystery in the past and the present, and certainly the future.  They live on the farm founded by George’s ancestors.  These two are the last generation. George and Em have two adopted children.  Tim is dead, and this has always been a problem.  Marianne turned out okay, but she lives far away.

Instead of digging deep into the various rabbit holes presented by the circumstances, Margulies chooses to skirt these and stick to what is in front of us. These two are officially on each other’s nerves, yet they are still hopeful that a night in the company of a lunar eclipse might bring them some reassurance that they are not doomed to wither away while the other watches.

Most of what they do feels like chit-chat.  She is cool.  He is not.  She feels guilty that she never gave him a child.  He admits he would have been okay with a dog or two or three.  There is no single issue that, when revealed, shows itself to be above all others.  And, funny thing –  the phases of the eclipse are very much part of the opening moments, but the progress fades out of the conversation about halfway through. It is only indicated by the signage projected on an upstage scrim.

There are no moments of ” okay, it is almost over, so I need to say this now. ” There is no urgency.

And maybe there doesn’t have to be. Perhaps this is what Margulies was trying to say.  Maybe it is enough that these two old-ish folks are spending a night in the light of the silvery moon with no agenda other than to sit this one out.  It is, after all, reminiscent of how they first spent time together as teenagers.  Alone on a clear night with the stars to keep them company.

I wish there had been more “there,” there, because these two actors are clearly up to the bit. I am sure of the thief because, as mild-mannered as the text was, Birney and Emery made us believe these two were the real deal.  As performers and characters, their bond is mighty.  And that, my friends, is pretty much the whole deal.

LUNAR ECLIPSE by Donald Margulies, directed by Kate Whoriskey (Clyde’s, Sweat).

WITH Reed Birney and Lisa Emery

Scenic design by Walt Spangler, costume design by Jennifer Moeller, lighting design by Amith Chandrashaker, sound design by Sinan Refik Zafar, video design by S. Katy Tucker, and original music by Grace Mclean.

Through June 22 at The Irene Diamond Stage at The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street). Single tickets are currently on sale at 2ST.com.