‘Why make a simple love story a ball of confusion?’
Nick Payne’s Constellations is an award-winning play about Quantum Physics and the Multiverse, that has gone from its Royal Court premiere in 2012 to big name West End productions in its many lifetimes, and this revival at Brockley Jack Studio made me happy, confused, sad and several other emotions in my parallel universes, writes Michael Holland.
A simple set of mirrors reflect the numerous universes and outcomes.
When Marianne(Costanza Pucci Di Montaltino) the quantum physicist, meets the beekeeper Roland(Freddy Williams) she attempts to explain her work thus: ‘Every choice, every decision you’ve ever and never made exists in an unimaginably vast ensemble of parallel universes.’
So far so good, but for the writer to actually get this across on stage the scenes are played out over and over again. The simplest phrase is given several airings, each with a different intonation, or accompanied by different body language, and each time being responded to differently, which in itself changes the forward direction of the conversation and, ultimately, the relationship of those in the conversation. Still with me?
Deep? Only if you start thinking beyond this being a theory and it being true.
Confusing? Yes, when the theory is depicted on stage with time travelling backwards and forwards.
Entertaining? Very much so, but only for the work that goes in by the actors to speak lines that seemingly go nowhere, that flip-flop in time, while delivering those same lines in different ways.
In some aspects Constellations is a warm-up exercise for a drama class: ‘Say “I love you” with passion, with hate, with anger, with indifference…”‘
We follow Marianne and Roland from when they meet to their becoming partners, their problems, her cancer diagnosis and their discussions about how she wants to deal with it. Quite timely, considering the Assisted Dying Bill is being debated in Parliament today.
We follow many of their major discussions that make or break a relationship – again and again in their parallel worlds – and see that every decision they make in one universe there is another world where they dealt with life differently and led to a different outcome. Or not…
Constellations is not a linear narrative; there is no story arc that leaves us with a satisfying ending to go home with. It ends close to where it all began.
I was happiest when Roland explained his work to Marianne, where bees have just one purpose in life and no life-changing decisions to make. They have a job to do and that is all they do. Life is simpler in the world of bees.
Constellations is far too clever. One part of me is asking, ‘Why make a simple love story a ball of confusion?’ In another world I am crying out ‘Bravo!’
Nick Payne’s play offers a great opportunity for a director and two actors to really show off their skills – or die trying.
Jack Studio Theatre. 410 Brockley Road, London SE4 2DH until 17 May 2025 at 7.30pm. Tickets: £17, £15 concessions (suitable for 14+)
Box office: www.brockleyjack.co.uk or 0333 666 3366 (£1.80 fee for phone bookings only)
