Constellations: A Play Brighter Than The Stars

Constellations, written by Nick Payne and directed by Faith Hart took place on the 28th and 30th of March 2025. But when guests signed up for the evening, they were in for more than just a regular show; they were in for an experience.

Image credit : Caleb Pithers-Gregory

Acted by Adelaide Leonard and Daniel Wallentine, this play was in fact immersive, blurring the lines between theatre and performance art. After meeting during their graduate studies and bonding over their love for the intimacy found in community, they set out to bring to life the script of Constellations, which resonated with their passion for communal rituals. Taking place in a cottage on the outskirts of London, the public was invited to follow the story of a couple through the different rooms of the house. Resembling a guided tour into one’s memories and life, it ensured a certain closeness between the spectators and the actors, breaking away from traditional practises such as the 4th wall. Indeed the actors were sometimes interacting with the public or even reaching between them to close some blinds. Just like its story, it was not a traditional one hour long play where the public was sitting in the same seat; it was moving, dynamic and breathtaking. 

The story itself is of a couple who meet and over time have to deal with issues such as infidelity, illness and death, does not follow a straightforward narrative. Instead, the public is faced with different versions of the same stories, as well as different endings. Sometimes repeating the same dialogue multiple times, the actors managed to convey entirely different personas and relationships. The public, faced with the different relationships and individuals portrayed, were forced to rethink the way we see human relationships. Shown different perspectives on one issue, the actors demonstrated that human interactions are deeply complexed and flawed. 

Image credit: Caleb Pithers-Gregory

It demonstrated the way our reactions as human beings, such as the words or tone we employ, have a huge impact on the way our relations with others evolve over time. It also showed that our take on life and how we chose to overcome obstacles can make the difference between a ‘good’ and a ‘hard’ life. 

But more so than just introspectively, this play confronted the public head on with the issue of intimacy. Since the spectators followed the actors around the house, they were often very close to them, which is far from the typical setting of having a stage and further away, the public’s seats. This meant that everyone’s reactions were louder and more noticeable, and that the public felt the emotions even more closely, both physically and emotionally. In a way, it was literally like being in the middle of the couple’s life, hearing things that, as an outsider, feels wrong to hear. It was a poignant experience, punctuated by strong reactions; sometimes tears, sometimes laughter in the most tragic moments. 

What is sure is that ‘Constellation’ was a play of heart, which transported the public with them in the rollercoaster of emotions that is life and relationships. Within a simple setting, with a simple cottage as a stage and everyday clothes as costumes, it managed to convey a strong message on the human condition and how we are the ones who write our own fate. Intense, it confronted the public with questions of intimacy and one’s views on relationships. 

Image credit: Phoenix Edwards Photos. Adelaide Leonard, Faith Hart and Daniel Wallentine