Constellations at the Gate Theatre – Written in the Stars?

On opening night, I saw Constellations at the Gate Theatre in Dublin. The play, written by Nick Payne and directed by Marc Atkinson Borull, places its focus on a beekeeper, Roland (Brian Gleeson) and a quantum physicist, Marianne (Sarah Morris). Are they a couple? Or are they platonic friends? It’s one of the many questions that goes unanswered in this oddball story eschewing a conventional structure in favour of a more fragmented narrative arch. It loosely plays on a physics theory that each time we make a choice, a branch of us splits off, over time creating infinite parallel universes where we each took different choices in our lives. And so, what we see isn’t one distinct play, but rather multiple iterations of the same play. We see flashpoints in their relationship replayed over again, to humorous, profound, and heart-breaking effect.

People often like to muse over how different their lives would be if they made a different choice. If they’d gone to college. If they decided not to have children. If they had emigrated to America all those years ago. It’s the sort of stuff that can keep you awake at night – especially if you’re convinced you made the wrong choice. Constellations reminds us that these forks in the road are everywhere. It also posits that while different choices can drastically change your outcomes in life, they won’t necessarily change who you are. Roland’s attempts to woo Marianne vary wildly, depending on which universe we’re watching him in, but in each one, he’s still the same laid-back, bumbling romantic every time.

The set, designed by Molly O’Cathain, takes the shape of an opulent ballroom, adorned by several chandeliers. It is here that we witness our two protagonists engage in this almost choreographed dance – trading space with one another, as well as complements and comedic insults throughout. Paul Keoghan creates a dimly lit, ambient and intimate setting and kudos must be given to Kevin Gleeson’s sound design, notably the crunching noise of the earth turning on its axis as we shift from one universe to another. As with the subject matter, little choices regarding the production add up to make a strong and lasting impression overall. Sarah Morris’s wearing of honeycomb patterned socks in a story about her relationship with a beekeeper made me chuckle.

Brian Gleeson and Sarah Morris both deserve credit for their superb performances. The style of narrative serves as a challenge for the actors on a few fronts – namely the replaying of the same scene over again and slightly nuanced each time in terms of lines, tone, and delivery. Lesser actors would make this feel like you’re watching rehearsals, but in the hands of Gleeson and Morris, each run through is expertly distinguished from the one that came before it. The use of sign language for one rendition is particularly impressive and again generates humour where you wouldn’t typically expect it.

The dialogue is peppered with innuendo and unusual turns of phrase throughout, as both characters in all their different existences, spend more and more time together. The play is quite weightless and whimsical in tone for much of the opening half. However, the novelty of new romance wears off and is soon replaced by petty, bitter in-fighting with both characters falling into the depths of despair. It is here that the philosophical connotations of the play arise, concerning free will and fate. While Roland’s choice of words can get Marianne to sleep with him, nothing it seems, can prevent the cancer diagnoses inflicted near the play’s end.

At 75 minutes, the play is short and sweet. One qualm I’d have is that the gimmick of replaying scenes over again definitely becomes too repetitive at points. It generates plenty of laugh out loud moments but overall, the play doesn’t quite transcend the gimmick in the way I hoped it would. Despite being a relatively short production, it does run out of steam as we reach the story’s muted and sombre conclusion. Nonetheless, it does leave a largely positive impression as a funny, thought provoking and moving piece of work.

Constellations, directed by Marc Atkinson Borull, is running at the Gate Theatre until Thursday, June 2^nd.

4/5