Physicality explores the physics behind it

Inspired by Brian Greene’s book “The Elegant Universe,’’ Armitage concocted her dance using concepts from quantum mechanics, general relativity, and string theory. Although it could be fun to watch an open rehearsal with Armitage explaining how a certain phrase or section represented this or that concept, such grandly abstract ideas don’t necessarily translate into great theater. The good news is that the sooner you stop trying to figure out what this dance is “about’’ (for what it’s worth, I would have guessed Darwin, not Einstein, was on Armitage’s mind), the sooner you’ll be able to immerse yourself in Armitage’s physically viscous, often gorgeous, world.

Wisely, with such a complex subject, Armitage keeps the components of “Three Theories’’ simple: The dancers wear tiny outfits designed by Deanna Berg MacLean — black or white trunks for the men, bikinis or leotards for the women — and the stage is itself stripped. The Ted Shawn Theatre is a barn, and here its rough beauty is exposed.

The lighting and music are dramatic. Clifton Taylor’s lights connote atmosphere of both the planetary and earthly types. Composer Rhys Chatham, a longtime Armitage collaborator, helps shape the moods of the brief prelude “Bang’’ (deep, electric resonance) and the “Quantum’’ section (relentlessly mesmerizing guitars and drums), while the South Indian “Raga Jog’’ suits the rippling, sinuous “Relativity’’ section. John Luther Adams’s “Dark Waves,’’ a softly rolling piano composition, underscores the harmony string theorists believe in.