Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Conor McPherson’s captivating UNCLE VANYA breathes gorgeous new life into the Chekhov warhorse

• By drediman
• June 11, 2021
• No Comments

I recently had the chance to stream, via PBS, Conor McPherson’s new translation of the Anton Chekhov warhorse Uncle Vanya, which was playing on the West End when the pandemic struck down the performing arts. Luckily, during the lockdown, the production was filmed at its home at the Harold Pinter Theatre (in front of an empty auditorium). Uncle Vanya is indisputably one of the classic and most oft-performed plays in the theatrical canon. Over the years, I’ve seen more productions of the Russian play than I care to admit, and most of them have had a difficult time distinguishing themselves from one another. Enter Irish playwright Conor McPherson. Through the lens of his captivating translation, it struck me all over again why Uncle Vanya is considered one of the great plays in Western drama.

In particular, Mr. McPherson (a genius of the theatre, in my opinion) has been able to breathe gorgeous new life into the play’s characters in a way that makes them even more spontaneously human than I ever remember them being. In the acclaimed playwright’s hands, they seem less the iconic dramatic figures of the stage they’ve become (just witness Christopher Durang’s Tony-winning Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike) and more palpably real. Additionally, the relationships between them have been newly etched with careful attention to specificity, giving viewers terrific transparency into the subtexts of their interactions. Although it was probably always Chekhov’s intent, Mr. McPherson takes extra care to ensure that the play’s scenes unfold organically and less inevitably. As such, the ache and regret that famously permeates the work feels rawer than in previous iterations.

As directed by Ian Rickson and designed by Rae Smith, the staging is stunning to look at, elegantly combining naturalism and romanticism. More importantly, this Uncle Vanya eschews the ponderous pacing of many a previous production and consistently compelled me throughout. The cast is exceptional from top to bottom. Although they may initially appear to underplay their lines, it soon becomes clear that these fine actors are digging deep to portray the play’s complex, often conflicted emotions with extraordinary lucidity. Notably in the central role of Vanya is Toby Jones, who masterfully conveys the existential depth of the character’s heartbreak. The production has been intimately captured on film, resulting in an experience that’s heavy on close-ups, thereby giving viewers maximum visibility into these characters’ rich inner lives.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

UNCLE VANYA
Theater / On-demand
West End (Harold Pinter Theatre) / PBS
2 hours, 30 minutes