Constellations

Constellations is a complex play about the mysterious nature of the universe, time and especially destiny. Marianne (Bridie Pamment) and Roland (Mark Yeates) are a couple who meet and fall in love, but the fate of their romance is contingent on so many cosmological factors that could make their story very tragic or wonderfully fulfilling. This play imagines this and many other possibilities in between. It thoroughly explores the nuances of the relationship and its potential from many different perspectives.

Pamment and Yeates are incredibly focused and accomplished in their delivery of often identical scenarios but with different emphasis and circumstances. The various trajectories of their relationship are portrayed in a series of disconnected vignettes that by the end of the play loosely construct linear stories. However, some of the narrative strands are difficult to discern and at times the repetition can seem laboured. The lack of setting and the heavy reliance on the actors and interesting lighting and sound changes keep this aura of mystery around the various possibilities that are put forward. This production is heavily focussed on prioritising the unconventional nature of the narrative, and the play is deliberately left somewhat unresolved which can be confronting or disconcerting for the audience.

The emotional journey of the characters is often extremely poignant, and the text makes a huge psychological demand on the performers. The daunting and sudden shifts from one extreme emotion to the other or revisiting moments with subtle variations in mood, atmosphere and expression are clearly controlled by the performers, allowing them to make the sentiments powerful and authentic. The performance is also well punctuated with moments of wry humour and Pamment and Yeates are both very adept at taking the audience along with them on this difficult and daring narrative exploration.

Patricia Di Risio 

Photographer: Ben Andrews