Now playing at The Playhouse San Antonio’s The Cellar Theater is ‘Constellations’ by the British playwright Nick Payne. It is a one-hour two-hander play that explores love, friendship and the notion of free will and destiny against the backdrop of quantum physics. The story is a romantic journey that begins with a simple encounter between a man and a woman and becomes an exploration of parallel universes. Kate Glasheen stars as Marianne, a quantum physicist and Jeff Jeffers portrays Roland, a beekeeper. There are still several chances to catch this cerebral production on Sunday November 12 at 2p.m., Thursday November 16, Friday November 17 and Saturday November 18 at 7:30p.m. and Sunday November 19 at 2p.m. Friday’s performance is SOLD OUT. Tickets range from $20 to $35 and are available online and at the box office.

The central theme in ‘Constellations’ is the theory of parallel universes in which the current universe is not the only one, but that many universes exist parallel to each other. These distinct universes within the multiverse theory are called parallel universes. This might seem like a heavy subject to delve into in a stage production but since this is a one-hour show, the best way to explain the material is by exploring the relationship between the main characters. The story begins with Marianne and Roland meeting at a function where a pick-up line goes flat but after an audible signal, in another universe, there is a different outcome and they become an item. Throughout the performance, they portray the same couple with different scenarios: in one he is married, in the other he is not, in one they are engaged, in the other they are not, and so forth. Their relationship goes through so many different ups and downs and each scene change is signaled by the same audible sound effect.

Sometimes emotional, at other times funny, the audience is privy to all these different universes. At times it is hard to keep up with the shifting action, but the central idea is to explain the theory that each decision creates another universe. Both actors do an exemplary job in handling the changing emotions and personalities in each scene as well as the challenging dialogue. The set design is simple but conveys the space theme adequately. It is not necessary to be an expert in physics to appreciate the heavy-handedness of the production and it is therefore a must-see because it is sure to create a dialogue on the possibilities of what at first seems to be just an ordinary life.

The Playhouse San Antonio
The Cellar Theater
800 W Ashby Place
San Antonio, TX 78212
(210) 733-7258