By Eric George Tauber
SAN DIEGO — If only things had happened differently…
We’ve all said that at some point in our lives. We’ve all wished that words could be unsaid, or said differently. We’ve all wished that choices could be unmade.
Maybe they were.
Albert Einstein had a theory about “parallel universes,” that there isn’t a single “universe” but a “multiverse” of infinite possibilities. It’s similar to a Buddhist concept called the “Garden of forking paths.” Basically, for every decision that we make, turning right or left will lead us to different choices with no going back. For every turn, there is another you that made the other choice … that took the other job … that married the other person … and is now living out the consequences of those choices, for good or ill.
Constellations at the Old Globe Theatre is a mosaic of shattered fragments, pieces of conversations playing and replaying themselves out. Different tones and word choices yield varying results. Capturing the spirit of the text, the set by David Israel Reynoso is a compelling mosaic of triangles within concentric hexagons.
Marianne makes an awkward attempt to flirt with Roland at a barbecue … over and over. He’s in a relationship. He’s fresh out of one. He’s married. He’s eligible.
It’s a curious match. She’s a quantum physicist who studies String Theory at Cambridge. He’s a beekeeper. And yet there’s this funny, awkward, nerdy chemistry between them that’s quite endearing. Maybe it’s because they play the game so clumsily that we root for them.
Their relationship goes further down the paths. He cheats. She cheats. They reconcile. They break up. Years pass and they get back together … and so on, facing the joys and tragedies of life together.
Actors Victoria Frings and Christian Coulson had an incredible task before them, shifting emotions and intentions, playing each reality with integrity. Their awkward silences spoke volumes, often more than their words.
Constellations is more than a nerd’s night out, mixing physics and philosophy. It’s an intense ride through a multiverse of possibilities and will, hopefully, make us all more conscientious about the choices we make.
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Tauber is a freelance writer who specializes in coverage of the arts. He may be contacted via eric.tauber@sdjewishworld.com Comments intended for publication in the space below must be accompanied by the letter writer’s first and last name and by his/ her city and state of residence (city and country if outside the U.S.)