The play follows two characters, Roland (a beekeeper) and Marianne (a theoretical physicist) after meeting at a party. From that single moment, an unimaginable number of possibilities arise. Their meeting could lead to a meaningful relationship, a brief affair, or nothing at all. This show unfolds all of those possibilities as the audience relives the same moments, each leading to separate outcomes. Above all, Constellations is a story of hope and chance. It is a reminder that the universe is much bigger than us and that from every scenario arises a million different possibilities.
Despite being a two-character play, the company is comprised of 7 Rolands and 7 Mariannes, with each pair often rotating so that no Marianne is ever with the same Roland. Although this beautifully complex idea could easily lead to a confused audience, the company did a superb job of slightly alternating their acting methods with each new scenario. Even though the words and the actor may be the same, no two possibilities are ever identical, which the company perfectly demonstrated.
The standout performance, however, was delivered by Vere Van Den Broek (Marianne) as she acted out the same lines multiple times in the space of minutes whilst also varying her methods with each new scenario so that no two scenes are ever identical.
Constellations truly is one of a kind. With the same lines, it manages to be equally tragic, hopeful, and beautiful. Once again, this cast show that nothing is too great a challenge for them as they navigate through a short yet difficult script.
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Gifted tickets in return for an honest review | photography provided by Burnt Orange Theatre Company