Constellations by Nick payne

Marianne, a physicist, and Roland, a beekeeper, meet at a party. They hit it off, and go for a drink. Or they don’t. They go home together, or they go their separate ways. Marianne is engaged to someone else. Maybe she breaks his heart, maybe he breaks hers. Perhaps they come together and their love story can finally take root and grow, or perhaps it will be tragically cut short. 

I co-directed this piece (insert a future TED-talk of mine on why we should have more co-directors!). We added the twist of 4 actors onstage at once, adding a female-presenting couple to the possibilities of their relationship. Staging this two-hander with 4 couples, exploring the similarities and disjuncts that the different pairs bring. We explored symmetry, having moments of shared voice and movement inspired by Akrahm Kahn and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s ‘Zero Degree’s.

The Pegg Studio Theatre, Bristol, 2022 

MARIANNE: Elsa Cleaver & Lily Walker

ROLAND: Andrew Graham & Honey Gawn-Hopkins 

CO-DIRECTORS: Kate Hunter & Holly Bancroft 

PRODUCER: Cecelia Quant

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: Calypso Bressan 

SHADOW DIRECTOR: Alice Wilkinson 

MARKETING DIRECTOR: Brandon Hamilton 

SHADOW MARKETING DIRECTOR: Bunny Lyttle 

SOUND DESIGNER: Tom Streuli

SHADOW SOUND DESIGNER: Ella Hakin 

LIGHTING DESIGNER: Tom Hobbes

SHADOW LIGHTING DESIGNER: Lily Af Sandberg 

COSTUME DESIGNER: Erina Mannan

STAGE MANAGER: Issy Walker

DEPUTY STAGE MANAGER: Sharanya Karkera 

LIGHTING TECHNICIAN: CaitlynIn collaboration with the 

Bristol STA and Bristol SignSoc. 

Special thanks to Oscar McDonald for sharing his BSL knowledge with us.