Zoë returns to West End theatre in Constellations this summer

10 April 2021 04:02

Good news has been in short supply for all of us since early 2020, but now the stars are aligned, so to speak, for Zoë Wanamaker fans.

The Donmar Warehouse has announced that Zoë will star in its West End revival of the smash-hit play Constellations by Nick Payne (who also wrote Elegy, which Zoe performed at the Donmar in 2016). She'll be joined in this highly original two-hander, which looks at human relationships through a cosmological lens, by none other than Peter Capaldi of Doctor Who fame.

They'll play cosmologist Marianne and beekeeper Roland, whose relationship is at the heart of Constellations. In an exciting twist, three other pairs of brilliant actors (Sheila Atim and Ivanno Jeremiah; Omari Douglas and Russell Tovey; Anna Maxwell Martin and Chris O'Dowd) will also bring the play to life in separate performances. They all introduce themselves in a fun little video shared by the Donmar.

As the theatre remarks, Constellations takes audiences on a 'journey through the multiverse and the infinite possibilities of a relationship'. This revival, like the original production, is directed by Donmar Warehouse Artistic Director Michael Longhurst.

Here's how the Donmar summarises the play:

'One drink. And if you never want to see me again you never have to see me again.'

A quantum physicist and a beekeeper meet at a barbeque. They hit it off, or perhaps they donÂ’t. They go home together, or maybe they go their separate ways. In the multiverse, with every possible future ahead of them, a love of honey could make all the difference.

Zoë and Peter Capaldi's performances are set to take place from 23 June to 24 July (see the performamce schedule PDF for details). As the Donmar is undergoing renovation, Constellations will be staged at another London venue, the Vaudeville Theatre, part of the Nimax Theatres group. Priority booking for Donmar members opens on 13/14 April; public booking opens on 16 April. Tickets will be available to book via Nimax Theatres.

While the news about Constellations is uplifting, I'm aware that travel restrictions (both national and international) and many other factors may make it difficult for some fans to watch the show. Even though I live in the UK, I can't be certain I'll be able to see it. I'm not aware of any plans for it to be filmed. We'll just have to see how things go and hope for the best.

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