Constellations by Nick Payne | All Entertainment
Images including cover image: Kris Anderson
Constellations by Nick Payne focuses on multiple versions of an intimate relationship between Marianne and Roland, exploring how the smallest change can hugely alter the course of their lives. Presented by AllEntertainment in the expansive Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium, directed by Harrison Allen, choreography by Melanie Keidge and performed by Katie and William Toft. Harrison pulls a connection between The Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2021 that was passed in September and will become available to Queensland in January 2023, as the couple struggles with Marianne’s choices around voluntary assisted dying bringing this story into the near future.
The team set themselves up with a giant challenge, working in the round with an 8K resolution projection dome, multiple interlocking and crossing story timelines and a very intimate space. The expansive size of the projection dome made me feel like a tiny speck looking out into the great unending universe which served the story as I watched these endless timelines of the relationship unwind. The use of the dome to create the settings forced the whole space to be part of the story. The venue was glorious, however I wanted to soak in all the amazing subtleties of the actors and the lack of lighting hindered that for me in a fair few moments. I also felt that the actors seemed stuck in their blocking and would have loved to see more playful, dynamic movements in the scenes, and to open more moments to the full audience. I struggle to believe that as humans we stand static facing each other while having difficult conversations, especially in familiar settings.
It is a great work out to be onstage essentially unending for an hour and a half and both Katie and William held their space and power for the entire time. They were able to create seamless transitions between the scenes and had some exciting choices and exploration with the dialogue and repeated scenes. Some beautiful moments of connection were created especially in the movement sequences. I found in the repeated scenes there was sometimes some pre-empting of the emotional journey where the actors weren’t quite responding in the moment to each other, but these moments were brief and very few and I will chock it up to opening night nerves.
Katie masterfully handled the frustrations that her character Marianne was facing with communication and language. These frustrations weren’t only expressed by her words but expertly using physicality and tensions through her gestures and movements. Her emotional journey through all the different versions of the relationship was very clear and placed. The piece remained at quite a consistent pacing. I would have loved to see more moments of silence between the characters where the audience and characters can breathe in the moment with each other, to then be paired with some more explosive moments. More refined voice work was needed from both the actors as at times I struggled to hear in such an expansive setting.
I could tell that the actors were enjoying exploring this story and enjoying working through the text together. The energy they brought to the stage oozed passion.The audience was engaged from the start with lots of audible laughs, sighs, and an appreciative applause. They have put on an aesthetically beautiful show that had me thinking about all the micro decisions I have made in my life and the endless possibilities of where I could be.
