Anton Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya has seen numerous adaptations in theaters worldwide. This year, it graces the Vivian Beaumont Theater in Lincoln Center, bearing a fresh adaptation by Heidi Schreck and a star-studded cast. Though the original material was first published in 1897, this new rendition breathes modern life into the dialogue and direction, while retaining its social and cultural relevance.
The narrative is simple. Sonia (Alison Pill) and her Uncle Vanya (Steve Carell) have devoted their lives to maintaining their family’s farm. Yet, their lives become disrupted by the arrival of Sonia’s father Alexander (Alfred Molina) and her stepmother Elena (Anika Noni Rose), which shifts dynamics on the farm. Soon enough, the farm is overtaken with resentment, unease, and suppressed desires. All the inhabitants, including Astrov, the local doctor (William Jackson Harper), and Maria (Sonia’s grandmother), find themselves embroiled in an ensuing domestic turmoil.
Schreck’s revised script of Uncle Vanya is impressive. The dialogue, while not entirely contemporary, is accessible to modern audiences. Moreover, nothing from the original script is lost in Schreck’s version — in fact, this adaptation does an even more remarkable job of highlighting the characters’ emotions and aspirations on a larger scale.
The production stands out for being led by a female crew, with Schreck’s words under the direction of Lila Neugebauer. The pacing, stage direction, and overall creative choices are extraordinary. The use of projectors to create natural images on stage was particularly captivating. Furthermore, the cast was solid in their roles so much so the production never dragged across its two acts.
Expectations were high for this talented cast, and they certainly delivered. Carell’s Broadway debut as Vanya was spectacular. He was compelling, humorous, and a bit odd which is the classic Carrell performance. Harper also stood out, perfectly embodying a man burdened by vices but concealing his pain behind humor. His dynamic with Pill, who plays a young girl in love with a man who doesn’t reciprocate her feelings, was one of the play’s engaging aspects.
The central theme of Uncle Vanya is ambition. Vanya is stifled by his lack of ambition, while Alexander’s success and Astrov’s questionable decisions are driven by their excessive ambition. And this leaves the audiences with wondering how things would be different if this wan’t the case. Uncle Vanya remains a timeless story for this reason. It center itself on lost hope and acceptance of life’s unchangeable aspects. Every element of this production, from direction to casting to staging, is strong. It feels less like a revival and more like an original piece.
In short, Uncle Vanya is a production worth seeing.
Uncle Vanya is playing now until July 16.