Vortex Theatre brings the multiverse of 'Constellations' to the stage

A barbecue sparks a romance between beekeeper Roland and physicist Marianne.

After they’ve moved in together, a confession of infidelity breaks them up. Later, they bump into one another ballroom dancing. They resume their relationship and eventually marry.

Opening at the Vortex Theatre on Friday, Aug. 25, “Constellations” blends the multiverse, cosmology and string theory with multiple universes pulling people’s lives in various directions.

“The story is their life,” said director Levi Gore. “Every aspect of their life is told through different universes, so it’s a multiverse play.”

Nick Payne’s play opened at London’s Royal Court Theatre in 2012, moving to Broadway in 2015 starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Ruth Wilson.

To Gore, the play contains “every version of extremes; all the heartbreak and happiness, a parallel universe of infinite possibilities. The beauty lies in the ‘what ifs’ and the in-betweens.”

“It’s like what would happen if I’d met this person at another time of my life?” he said. “What if this person wasn’t married? What if this person didn’t die? Each section of their lives is told in little variations, little vignettes.”

The audience follows the central romance between Roland and Marianne as a jigsaw of simultaneous moments. The actors repeat brief scenes, often with different outcomes. Payne invites his viewers to imagine everything they are not seeing, expanding the boundaries of the world we know. He raises questions about the difference between choice and destiny.

“It’s a bit of everything,” Gore said. “There’s some very tragic moments. There’s a lot of comedy as well. But I would classify it as a drama.”

“It’s structured so you can see every aspect of these peoples’ lives,” he continued. “It sounds complicated, but it really is not.”

“Constellations” stars Even Spreen (“The Drawer Boy”) and Michelle Belmont (“It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Trevor”).