Apparently Chekov is hilarious in the original Russian
I have to say I’ve never been one of his biggest fans, though I do like his style of theatre. I think it was that one about the seagull that did it!
However, when I saw that Peter Hall’s English Touring Theatre production of Uncle Vanya was visiting York, I felt I should go. It’s one of those classic plays that I’d never seen on stage, which I’d read about rather than knew, and I think you’d agree that it’s a gap for any true theatre snob. I also don’t think I’ve ever seen a production directed by Peter Hall*, which in my book is an even bigger gap, given that he was the creator of the RSC.
Owing to my frankly stupid work schedule, the only night I could go was Tuesday, which meant a crazy journey, and a dash into the theatre with about 3 minutes to spare. To say that I wasn’t really in the mood for a bunch of Russians wailing about their lives/estate/cherry orchard/the peasants is probably a bit of an understatement.
What I didn’t expect was for it to be both funny and, ultimately, moving. The cast were excellent, though I did find myself smiling at Vanya’s (Nicholas Le Prevost) pronouncement that he was 47 (and the rest) and Astrov’s (Neil Pearson) that he was 36 (and the rest). They looked like they’d both had very hard paper rounds, which I guess is one of the problems of sitting on the front row.
The translation is a new one, by Stephen Mulrine, and feels very contemporary, without being in any way wrong for the time. Astrov is played as probably the first person to fight global warming. Sonia and Vanya keep the estate going for leeches like the Professor to live off. Their lives are small and provincial and everyone suffers quite exquisitely in their own way. It’s a society ripe for revolution, and watching it, you can understand why it only lasted a few more years.
At the end, as the disruptive influence of the Professor and his wife are removed, and the others try to return to their normal routine, as though nothing has changed, whereas really nothing will be the same, I found myself in tears at Sonia’s final speech.
*Well, I don’t think I have, I could be wrong, but if I have, I don’t recall it.
Labels: theatre
posted by Val @ 11:07 PM
2 Comments:
Oh my, I went to see Uncle Vanya on Tuesday night too [last minute decision as I'd been at Petite Anglaise's book reading at York Library]! This is officially quite freaky.
As for the play - I was surprised with just how funny it was but thought that some of the directorial decisions were a bit iffy. I found Vanya to be too much of a comic buffoon at points, which made his situation ridiculous rather than horrific (all the flippin' arm waving!). And, to my own surprise, it didn't make me cry (though I do think in other circumstances the play might). It was a curious production - lovely set, very well acted, very, very good play but something for me didn't gell. It didn't make me care enough I guess.
'Tis very freaky, for I meant to tell you about the Petite Anglaise thing, and then forgot, work being as it is! Sorry I missed you - I'd normally have been hanging around in the bar, but was shattered.
I know what you mean about the arm waving - but actually, by the end, I did care about them, as it was so learly a society in decline.
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