{"id":109820,"date":"2025-06-30T18:41:56","date_gmt":"2025-07-01T01:41:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forallevents.com\/reviews\/?p=109820"},"modified":"2025-07-01T14:37:45","modified_gmt":"2025-07-01T21:37:45","slug":"strong-cast-steady-direction-and-a-riveting-script-make-constellations-now-playing-at-the-pear-theatre-a-must-see-production","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forallevents.com\/reviews\/strong-cast-steady-direction-and-a-riveting-script-make-constellations-now-playing-at-the-pear-theatre-a-must-see-production\/","title":{"rendered":"Strong cast, steady direction and a riveting script make \u201cConstellations\u201d -\u2013 now playing at The Pear Theatre — a must-see production"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

With a running time of about 85 minutes performed without an intermission, \u201cConstellations,\u201d written by British playwright Nick Payne in 2012, is a fascinating examination of love, beekeeping, string theory, heartbreak and cosmology \u2013 NOT cosmetology!<\/p>\n

It\u2019s obvious that director Reed Flores steadily guided his cast of six to find new ways to explore the two characters in Payne\u2019s play.\u00a0 It was his idea to use six actors \u2013 three men and three women \u2013 to play the two roles.( Payne originally conceived and wrote this play as a \u201ctwo-hander\u201d \u2013 meaning it\u2019s meant to be performed with just two actors.)<\/p>\n

Even more interesting, Flores switches his cast around so that if a person attends \u201cConstellations\u201d next Thursday, and then decides to see it again with a friend a few days later, the actors would likely be playing what is described as a different track than the ones they played the first time.<\/p>\n

Payne\u2019s characters, Roland, a beekeeper, and Marianne, a physicist, meet at a party and find they are both curious and surprised by the profession of the other.\u00a0 As Roland attempts to convey his joy at helping bees \u2013 and how they contribute so much to life on earth \u2013 Marianne discovers she is fascinated by something so completely foreign to her world.<\/p>\n

In turn, Marianne captivates Roland by talking about her profession that is world\u2019s away from his. \u00a0She is, she tells him, a physicist who spends her days on a computer working through complex topics like quantum mechanics and the belief that there are multiple universes that direct people’s lives. \u00a0Despite their very different backgrounds, they fall in love and move in together. But eventually they break up when Marianne admits to having sex \u2013 more than once \u2013 with a man she works with.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

From left: Vivienne Truing and Thomas Nguyen
\nPhoto credit: Reed Flores<\/p>\n

Fast forward several years and they accidentally run into each other at a ballroom dance class.\u00a0 Marianne surprises Roland by telling him that she happened to notice his honey (now bottled and sold at a nearby farmer\u2019s market), so she bought some.<\/p>\n

Both are at the ballroom dance class because they are going to weddings \u2013- as guests — and each admits to being a terrible dancer.\u00a0 It\u2019s charming to watch them try to dance a rudimentary box step without stepping on each other\u2019s feet!<\/p>\n

Eventually they realize that they love each other and marry.\u00a0 What happens after that won\u2019t be revealed here.\u00a0 It\u2019s best to watch how it all unfolds at The Pear.<\/p>\n

While all six actors in \u201cConstellations\u201d are universally excellent, Vivienne Truong stands out for her gut-wrenching acting as she deals with a serious illness.. Sahil Singh also demonstrates sincerity \u00a0as he shows sympathy for Marianne.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

From left: Raven Douglas and Sahil Singh
\nPhoto credit: Reed Flores<\/p>\n

Louis Stone-Collonge\u2019s simple, yet amazing set design adds much to this show.\u00a0 The floor is covered with blue and pink string designs, a nod back to the fact that Marianne studies string theory, while the back wall is dotted with various sizes of white balls, reminiscent of outer space.<\/p>\n

Lighting designer Carsten Koester also deserves mention because his lighting must be precise, going on and off quickly as one set of actors stops talking and another pair start their conversation.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

From left: \u00a0George Alexander K. and Elana Swartz
\nPhoto credit: Reed Flores<\/p>\n

\u201cConstellations\u2019 includes four other actors (Elana Swartz, George Alexander K., Thomas Nguyen and Raven Douglas), and all show their acting chops in this production.\u00a0 Occasionally Douglas speaks too softly, especially when her back is turned to some of the audience, which means a few of her lines are hard to hear.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, thanks to Flores\u2019 steady direction, such a fine production deserves full houses for every performance.<\/p>\n

Note: \u201cConstellations\u201d comes with a warning that the play has mature content.<\/p>\n

The Pear Theatre presents \u201cConstellations\u201d by Nick Payne.<\/strong>
\nNow through July 20, 2025<\/strong>
\nThursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. \u00a0and Sunday<\/strong> matinees at 2:00 p.m. No performance on Friday, July 4.<\/strong>
\nPear Theater, <\/strong>1110 La Avenida, Mountain View, CA 94043<\/strong>
\nTickets are $45 and can be purchased online at www.thepear.org<\/a>. For more information, call Pear Theatre at <\/strong>650) 254 \u2013 1148.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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With a running time of about 85 minutes performed without an intermission, \u201cConstellations,\u201d written by British playwright Nick Payne in 2012, is a fascinating examination of love, beekeeping, string theory,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":124,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"yasr_overall_rating":4.8,"yasr_post_is_review":"yes","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"Event","footnotes":""},"categories":[841],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-109820","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-joanne-engelhardt"},"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":true,"span_bottom":"