Review: “Constellations” at Hudson Stage Company
John P. McCarthy
Associate New York Critic
Hudson Stage Company’s virtually flawless production of “Constellations,” which began its too-brief run last Saturday night, reminded me of Hamlet’s gripe to Polonius in Act 2 Scene ii--“Words, words, words.” The Melancholy Dane’s lament about the idleness of talk when compared to action is both confirmed and disproved in Nick Payne’s two-character play, which premiered in London in 2012 and occasioned the Broadway debuts of Jake Gyllenhaal and Ruth Wilson in 2015.
On the one hand, talk is cheap and verbal communication has its limits when it comes to effecting change or sating many human appetites. On the other, the power of language shouldn’t be underestimated. Not all chatter is hot air or, in Shakespeare’s parlance, “mere wind.”
In “Constellations” Payne acknowledges how imprecise and fungible our use of language can be. But he also demonstrates its potential by cleverly arguing that a slight variation in word choice or a subtle change of inflection can have major, perhaps even cosmological, repercussions. Remarkably, he does so by mashing together theoretical physics and the tropes of romantic comedy-drama. Deploying two science metaphors, you could say he puts an ordinary modern romance under a microscope while simultaneously examining it from afar, as through a high-powered telescope.
Standing in front of a geometric black set that approximates a beehive, Brits Marianne and Roland meet cute (can you lick your elbow?) at a backyard barbecue. Their relationship is then depicted in a string of short conversations pegged to typical milestones—sleeping together for the first time, moving in together, confronting infidelity, breaking-up or staying together, etc.—that are repeated a number of times with small yet significant changes in verbal content, tone, and emphasis. These retreaded exchanges aren’t presented simply as the ups and downs of a romantic union. Payne aims to trigger philosophical reflection on big issues such as the nature of time and space.
He has Marianne (Faith Sandberg), a Cambridge theoretical physicist with an awkward sense of humor, introduce concepts pertaining to her work in the field of Quantum Cosmology. In particular, she references the conflict between Einstein’s theory of relativity and quantum mechanics, which physicists have argued can only be reconciled by hypothesizing the existence of multiple universes. This may sound highly abstract and seriously out-of-place, but it works to an uncanny degree. Setting aside the question of whether or not it holds water from a logical or scientific point of view, as theater it ends up making perfect sense.
If I have it right, the fundamental idea is that every choice we make or don’t make during a conversation, interaction or encounter (for that matter, during every conscious second of our lives) spawns a new and different universe than the one that previously existed. A non-linear notion of time is a crucial piece of this puzzle: all these universes exist simultaneously. In effect, opting for one of the infinite number of possibilities open to us at any point in time creates a new world.
Thus, in “Constellations,” scenes that at first blush appear to be circular or repetitive are actually full of import owing to the small differences they contain. And strung together they form a surprisingly solid structure that is funny, poignant, and deep. Perhaps the best metaphor for describing the play is musical. The exchanges are like a set of delicate piano etudes, distinct yet inseparable from one another.
Marianne raises the topic of free will, although it’s not clear to me on what basis a universe governed by the laws of relativity or one in which quantum theory holds sway is more deterministic or restrictive when it comes to human choice. Nevertheless, Marianne’s existential dilemma appears more profound than Roland’s, perhaps because she’s got a better handle on the science and because she admits to being a bit of a control freak. (“I have to have a choice—control!”) And while neither character is easy to pigeonhole, and doing so runs contrary to the spirit of the play, Roland, a beekeeper, appears to be more easygoing and less inclined to worry about things that are beyond his control or to be unsettled by theoretical quandaries involving space and time. In that way, he’s like those of us in the audience who are pleasantly agog at the headiness of the material—happily entertained without having a firm grasp on the links between his attachment to Marianne and the science she grapples with and tries to explain.
That brings us back to the duality of words—the frustrating impotence and transformative efficacy of language. For me, the most powerful and revelatory scene in “Constellations” is the only one in which Roland and Marianne do not “talk” or “speak” but rather communicate using British Sign Language. Those of us who don’t know BSL are able to follow this moving encounter in part because we’ve already heard the words spoken in a prior iteration. More importantly, however, it illustrates the play’s most pertinent theme—namely, that meaning hinges on context and delivery. Words, or any other vehicles of human expression, gain the most power when they are embodied. Communication is fundamentally, irretrievably physical. This in turn brings us back to the laws governing the natural world, which may impinge upon or shape human behavior in ways we cannot comprehend.
In this sense, “Constellations” constitutes a dazzling counterargument on both the theoretical and practical level to the idea that all meaning lies dormant in, for example, a script or sealed up inside the words on a page; and that no matter who utters them, or how, or in what context and physical space, they will mean the same thing. For this and many other reasons, it follows that only a talented and experienced actor can pull off Payne’s play. No doubt with invaluable assistance from director Mark Shanahan, and fostered by an excellent company that rarely misfires, Sandberg and Williams are terrific. They never miss a beat.
What makes their performances especially fascinating to witness is that the chemistry between two is not obvious at the outset. In the beginning, this Marianne and Roland don’t seem destined for one another, either as co-universe builders or destroyers. Their compatibility is earned; their connection builds gradually, no matter how one defines time. And it flowers into an ontological no-brainer—a formidable and moving whole. These two performers and hence these two characters certainly belong together in a single universe, or, if you prefer, in an ever-expanding set of worlds that they create and demolish during every performance, under the watchful eye of Hudson Stage Company within parameters set, at least initially, by playwright Nick Payne.
CONSTELLATIONS
“Constellations” is directed by Mark Shanahan and stars Faith Sandberg and Ben Paul Williams. Scenic design by James J. Fenton, costume design by David C. Woolard, lighting design by Andrew Gmoser, original music and sound by Matt Otto, and Denise Bessette, Dan Foster and Olivia Sklar are the executive producers.
“Constellations” runs at Hudson Stage Company at the Whippoorwill Hall Theatre, North Castle Library in Armonk through November 3, 2018 at the following times: October 19 at 8:00PM October 20 at 8:00PM October 21 at 3:00PM October 26 at 8:00PM October 27 8:00PM October 28 at 3:00PM *includes Talkback with cast and HSC November 2 at 8:00PM, November 3 at 3:00 and 8:00 PM Running Time: 80 Minutes
Tickets are $40; $35 for Students/Seniors and are now available online at Brown Paper Tickets 1-800-838-3006 www.BrownPaperTickets.com or by calling 1-800-838-3006. Tickets may also be purchased in-person at the theatre a 1/2 hour prior to performance, including a $10 student rush ticket.
Website: www.hudsonstage.com
Photo: Hudson Stage