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It’s easy to see where Nick Payne got the title for this play. As with a constellation, the show is dazzling to watch and highly interpretible. (Consider the Big Dipper, which in other cultures is known as a bear, a saucepan or a plow.) This excellent production will leave your mind churning and have you reconsidering your concept of reality.
It all starts off a little rom-commy. We are offered three couples who meet at a rained-upon barbecue and negotiate the minefield of modern dating. The awkwardness is amusing and a little painful, but we’re all pulling for them to get together.
But something’s up. All three women are Marianne; all three men are Roland. The women are theoretical physicists, the men beekeepers. But even more. Bits of dialogue begin to repeat between the three couples, with small variations of tone, and results. The women’s nerdy little icebreaker about licking one’s elbow falls flat with one couple, hits home with another. Some Rolands go back to their wives. Another goes home with Marianne.
Sooner or later (the women being physicists), the dreaded word multiverse comes into play, and I have to admit, I’m not a fan. Like time travel, the multiverse is a fun little brain game for nerds that has no basis in reality. And I find it annoying. That said, we have three couples who are, in the context of the play, the same couple.
Fortunately, Payne follows the path of what I call the “Groundhog Day” blueprint. It’s not the clever gimmick that makes or breaks a story — it’s what you do with it, and how much work and imagination you put into the details. Though the Rolands and Mariannes go through some touching trials and tribulations (some of them downright brutal), what really engages are the small differences in the way the three couples perform their dances. There’s something particularly delicious about the way that one Roland will change the intonation on a line delivered by another Roland two minutes previous — and often get different results. And it’s fun for the audience to feel like we’re in on the secret. There’s also the difference inherent in the lines being delivered by different actors, all with their particular personalities and appearances. Perhaps it isn’t what we say or do as much as who we are when we do or say things.
To reference another movie, there’s also the “Sliding Doors” effect. How would one’s life be changed if one went to a play at, say, The Pear Theatre and met the love of one’s life, versus staying at home with Ben & Jerry’s and remaining single?
Under director Reed Flores, the feeling of ensemble is powerful, even with three couples who never interact. All six characters are perfectly comfortable with each other, and their interactions feel utterly natural. Another difference, particular to this show, is a bit more sensitivity on the part of the men (being beekeepers), a bit more bluntness on the parts of the women (being scientists). It’s always good to mess around with tropes.
I feel guilty even pointing out individuals, but two of the actors have exceptional qualities. Sahil Singh brings to his Roland a tasty quirkiness. You’re never quite sure what oddball movement or vocal flight is going to appear next. Or perhaps he’ll forget a very important speech written out on notebook paper and suffer a panic attack. The other standout is Elana Swartz, who brings a remarkable intensity to her Marianne. This is magnified by The Pear’s cozy confines and the propensity of the actors for invading audience space. There’s something very moving about watching a fellow human, mere feet away, going through a heartbreaking crisis.
I also enjoyed the subtleties of Louis Stone-Collonge’s set design, whirling Pollock galaxies on the floor and star-like lamps hanging from the ceiling. Carsten Koester’s lighting design was masterful.
For theatergoers who enjoy having their brain cells realigned, I can’t recommend “Constellations” enough. It’s a remarkable piece, delivered by talented players, and it will definitely have your mind a little distracted on the drive home. Be careful out there.
Note: There’s a bit of audience participation at the end of the evening. Never fear, it doesn’t involve any actual performing. The show is 90 minutes long with no intermission.
Through July 20 at The Pear Theatre, 1110 La Avenida, Suite A, Mountain View; $45 general admission; thepear.org.
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