Constellations

Darlinghurst Theatre Company's production of Nick Payne's Constellations has been a much anticipated event on the 2014 arts calendar and it is well worth the wait.

This is a story that traverses time and space. It looks deeply at relationships, brain cancer, string theory and bee keeping.

It sounds like a tough sell, but there is no doubt that Payne is a stellar playwright and this production not only honours the text but elevates it to another level. It is a challenging script to take-on for any company, but director Anthony Skuse shows confidence in his ability and his team.

There is no set except for a raised black box on the stage and some random props. It is the script that Skuse lets shine through. The actors Sam O'Sullivan and Emma Palmer deftly stay on top of the flickering changes in time and space, each time managing to inject a fresh reality into the same scenario to highlight the "sliding doors" premise of the story. Palmer's portrayal of a woman struggling with expressive aphasia or loss of control language due to a brain tumour is impressive.

Overall this is exceptional theatre and something that is rarely seen in Sydney. Too often a production is over complicated when it doesn't need to be. Constellations is the perfect example of a piece of theatre that relies solely on the talent of the actors and the strength of the script and it is wonderful to watch. It is an exercise in economy and one that I wish there was more of.

If you don't already have ticket go and get one right now.

Whitney Fitzsimmons

Images: Emma Palmer and Sam O’Sullivan. Photographer: Gez Xavier Mansfield.