Have you ever wondered what the you in another timeline is up to? Did their life work out the same way, or did some choice along the way radically diverge your paths? Nick Payne’s heartrending play Constellations allows the audience to experience multi-universe theory first hand through the lives of Marianne and Roland. Directed by Connor Briggs, Constellations shows us that while so much is malleable, some elements of life are inevitable.

When you enter into the Extrasapce at Tarragon theatre, there are over 30 naked lightbulbs of various shapes and colours hanging from the ceiling and taking over the playing space for the production. Lidia Foote’s lighting design is more than just ambiance as those lights play a vital role in our understanding of the events of the play. Initially, it almost looks like the constellation Cassiopeia is lit up against the back wall of the space, while other illuminated bulbs are scattered throughout. As the story begins, different bulbs are lit in combination to indicate when we are witnessing a new timeline. This constant flip between black out and partial light is jarring, but that’s perfectly suited to what we’re witnessing. 

Yet, the events which occur under the only blue-toned light on stage function completely differently than the rest of the story. We hear fragments of the same conversation, except we start at the end and work our way back to the beginning each time we are brought into that timeline. While there is no content warning about this particular element, this conversation is not an easy one to witness. MAiD has been a theme in a few productions which I’ve witnessed recently, yet it hits entirely differently when you’re watching two young people discussing it. Particularly once the full conversation is played out, there were several sniffles heard around the audience.

It’s difficult to speak about Constellations in terms of a linear plot line as there appropriately isn’t one. Rather, we witness the same scenes played over and over, each with a slight change from the last. It’s amazing how the same words can be spoken with a difference in tone or attitude and as a result have entirely separate consequences. Yet that’s how we witness Roland and Marianne eventually become a couple, get engaged, and then face a life-altering diagnosis for Marianne. While the story lacks a great deal of closure, there’s beauty in that; because part of the focus is multiverse theory, it makes sense that there’s no clear-cut resolution as there are myriad possibilities for how their story ends. The heart of it all being that their love and hope persist through each possible universe. 

Anthony Goncharov and Emily Anne Corcoran bring an inimitable chemistry to Roland and Marianne. There’s a level of intimacy and trust between the two which radiates from their performances and adds a level of realism to their portrayals. Because we witness multiple timelines, it’s like they play multiple characters; the only time we know how things are going to be or how they’re going to act is when they’re under that blue light. Otherwise, it’s a delightful surprise to see which versions of Roland and Marianne are going to be present for the scene. These talented actors deftly guide us through their multiverse and make Constellations the captivating show it is.

It’s amazing how much the idea of a multiverse has become a part of the zeitgeist in recent years; Constellations is only twelve years old, and yet I know that had I seen it then I would have had a totally different response to it. Constellations is a brilliant example of how non-linear storytelling can have a powerful impact. Make sure you catch this stunning production before it closes on August 23rd. For more information and tickets, visit: https://www.icarustheatre.ca/constellations

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Cover photo: Emily Anne Corcoran and Anthony Goncharov. Photo by Desmond Lazar.

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