Constellations, the newest production from the Exeter University Theatre Company, tells a love story between a university lecturer and a beekeeper. Charting the highs and lows of the relationship, the audience experiences the messy emotions of a life dedicated to another person, much in keeping with British playwright Nick Payne’s original 2012 script. However, this version revitalises the material, adding new nuances and shades to this tender and sincere romance with several reimagined elements that are sure to shine bright on the stage when the student production heads to the Edinburgh Fringe this August.
Awash in midnight shades of purples and blues, the play is captivating in its tackling of a vast array of topics – from the enchantment of falling in love, to the brutality of heartbreak and betrayal, to the ultimate decision of letting the one you love most go, however hard that may be; it juggles them exceptionally. Furthermore, the simple yet effective lighting and costume choices ground the narrative, allowing the performances to take centre stage by streamlining the aesthetics so that the play maintains its sense of cohesion and focus.
The simple yet effective lighting and costume choices ground the narrative, allowing the performances to take centre stage.
Much like the 2021 revival of Constellations, whose cast was comprised of four couples that alternated every performance, this iteration employs a similar technique, yet all within the same play. The result is remarkable; the dynamics of the spliced scenes between EUTCo’s three couples adds a heady sense of nostalgia to the piece, as the audience sees scenes mirrored and replayed with slight alterations in the dialogue, crafting a mini-multiverse in which all three couples are both simultaneously different and the same. In addition to this, the casting heightens this effect of alternate realities even more, with one couple being heterosexual, whilst the other two are gay and lesbian respectively. Ostensibly, amongst its many triumphs, this is the play’s crown jewel; it effortlessly explores the theme of queerness by directly comparing same-sex relationships to both each other and non-same-sex relationships, injecting nuance into the romantic Queer experience by showing how every love story is individual, regardless of who the lovers are. Each of the six performers vividly bring their character to life, carving out their own specificities that make them unique yet relatable, no mean feat considering how they are all, in essence, portraying the same couple. Despite this, as the plot narrows down to a pinpoint, in which hard-hitting topics like assisted dying and terminal illness are discussed, the audience sees how, despite their differences, our characters are more alike than they seem as they grapple with a near impossible situation that is particularly pertinent to today.
The dynamics of the spliced scenes… adds a heady sense of nostalgia to the piece, as the audience sees scenes mirrored and replayed with slight alterations in the dialogue.
In conclusion, if you find yourself at the Edinburgh Fringe this summer, I implore you to check out Constellations. The play is excellently directed, acted and designed, deals with sensitive topics with great care and dignity, and is hopefully destined for the stars upon its Scottish debut!
