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Writer's pictureJeanné McCartin

REVIEW: Constellations at The Rep Studio

Jamie Bradley as Roland and Jennifer Sue Rockwell as Marianne (Courtesy Photo)
WHAT: Constellations
WHERE: The Rep Studio Theatre
BLURB: Get a Peek at a New Space!
HIGH POINT: Truly Smart Performances

Theater enthusiasts rejoice. There's a new venue in town, and "Constellations," its inaugural production, is now on stage.

First, to the play. 

Seacoast Rep has chosen Constellations for the maiden voyage. 

Performance and direction-wise, the production is a great first run, in fact it's a case of actors and director doing the heavy lifting for the script. 

Jamie Bradley as Roland (Courtesy Photo)
Constellations, a 90-minute one-act, has a unique structure and concept. Time as we know it is suspended, as the relationship between Roland, (Jamie Bradley) a beekeeper, and Marianne (Jennifer Sue Rockwell) a physicist unfolds, and is examined from a multitude of universes and possibilities.

Each scene of their relationship is on repeat. Often the conversation is exact or close to the original, but the subsequent rewind brings a new intent and outcome to the moment.

The idea is intriguing and so is the storyline - initially.  As it proceeds some conversation sequences feel weighty and slow. Still, thanks to the outstanding performances by Rockwell and Bradley, the piece keeps you engaged, even through the occasional tedious passage. 

Jennifer Sue Rockwell as Marianne (Courtesy Photo)
Rockwell and Bradley's portrayals are a masterclass in performing; it's the how-to for manipulating the intent of a word or phrase with a shift in intonation, body language and facial gesture.

The two move flawlessly through the same conversations, and an incredible range of emotions. 

As you get to know the couple's different paths, you find yourself increasingly invested in them, and therefore their outcome. You're in for the ride, hoping for the change that brings a better, sweeter or more exciting outcome. 

Kudos to Director Joshua LaPierre for keeping the movement interesting on the sparsely set stage, and for the characters' strong development. 

Jamie Bradley as Roland and Jennifer Sue Rockwell as Marianne (Courtesy Photo)
Everything is kept to the minimum for this one, but working with what's already in place, the lighting by Zachary Ahmad-Kahloon does its job, as does costume design by Brandon James and properties by Tobin Moss.

And now to the theater: The Rep Studio Theatre, an intimate 75-seat venue, is a large rectangular space, which is pretty much bare bones at the moment. The seating is fold-out chairs, which they plan to address soon. 

It's a terrific canvas for a small blackbox theater. It's still located in town, but outside the center - which translates to parking.

It's worth a trip to take part in The Rep Studio Theatre's inaugural production, and more importantly to witness two mighty fine performers put through their paces and prove themselves up to the task.

WHERE: 2800 Lafayette Rd. Portsmouth, NH
WHEN: through Feb. 10
COST: $25

IMPORTANT NOTE: buy tickets DIRECT from the venue's website.  Outside ticket resellers are adding exorbitant fees to tickets prices.

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