Constellations – Audition

Constelllations

by Nick Payne

directed by Colin Macnee

About the Play

Every choice, every decision you’ve ever and never made exists in an unimaginably vast ensemble of parallel universes.”

Marianne meets Roland. Marianne is an astrophysicist, and Roland keeps bees. How will it go, and come, and go? Come again? In an infinite number of universes, anything can happen. Which is good, because Marianne is running out of time. Premiered at the Royal Court in 2012, Nick Payne’s tale of love, loss and honey has played to packed houses in the West End, on Broadway, and further afield.

Constellations is a play about possibilities, about different outcomes from the same starting point, about paths taken and paths not taken. Marianne, an astrophysicist, explores the theory of the multiverse – that there are an infinite number of universes, each differing slightly or greatly from our own. The play's structure reflects this, as the audience is presented with multiple versions of the same events, varying in their outcomes. Also, events do not necessarily occur in a linear temporal sequence.

Funny, poignant and unorthodox, this celebrated contemporary play comprises over fifty, mostly very short, scenes interspersed by changes in lighting state (probably just blackout) which indicate change of ‘universe’. It offers exciting and challenging opportunities to the actors.

Important Dates

First Round Auditions:

Recall Audition (by invitation only)

  • Monday 12th June, 7.30 – 9.30pm (venue TBC)

Performances

  • Tuesday 24 to Sunday 29 October at Arts at the Old Fire Station, Oxford

Auditions

We are minded to cast two pairs of actors who will perform on alternate evenings/afternoons. Besides doubling the number of actors given the opportunity to perform these rewarding roles, this will add another layer of interest to the production and will ensure that full understudying is built in. Of course, this is contingent on the outcome of auditions.

You don’t need to prepare anything. You will be asked to perform a number of (typically very short) scenes from the play in the context of various back stories – either those suggested by the director or others of your choosing.

Auditionees are asked to stay for the full duration of the auditions.

Any queries may be addressed to the director at cmacnee@btinternet.com.

Select the button below to complete the audition form (opens in a new window).

Cast

The actors are on stage throughout.

Marianne (20s to 50s): Astrophysicist. Vivacious and playful when we first meet her but has to come to terms with the development of a brain tumour, which sometimes affects her speech, and with its various prognoses.

Roland (20s to 50s): Beekeeper. Divorced and fairly hard up. More easy-going, and presumably less bright, than Marianne.

 

Duration

80–90 minutes without interval.

 

Rehearsals

Rehearsals, two evenings and a Sunday afternoon per week, will begin in late August.

 

Performances

Tuesday 24 to Sunday 29 October at Arts at the Old Fire Station, Oxford.

Actors will have to be available all day on the 24th for get-in, technical rehearsal, and preview performance.