If you’re thinking of reading a play by Anton Chekov ever in your life, go see Vanya. Actually if you have any interest in Russian literature, or early 20th century life, go see Vanya. Or, simply if you like good fake accents, go see Vanya.
Tom Wood’s adaptation staged by Portland’s Artist’s Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) moves Chekov’s Russian masterpiece to the tundra of western Canada. In this simple change of locale lies much of Vanya’s appeal. The goal of any theatrical production is to bring life to a script, but A.R.T.’s adaptation brings modernity and relevance to Chekov’s work. As a result of relocation, the dialogue flows faster, the tension becomes evident and the characters seem closer to home. References to unfamiliar Russian events are translated into earlier 20th century rural concerns. Wood also made the correct move by keeping many of Chekov’s original metaphors and soliloquies intact.
On my way into the theater I was alerted to the presence of William Hurt. Not by the program or posters, but rather by the excited chatter of the Sunday matinee crowd. Apparently Mr. Hurt is quite a hit with the ladies. Most recently in The Good Shepherd, Hurt has a substantial film and stage resume, including a previous performance with A.R.T. Good thing that I didn’t let this color my opinion of the play before I sat down. I had no idea who William Hurt was.
What I discovered is that Hurt is a professional actor in the truest sense. In the first scene it becomes impossible to imagine a Hurt-less Dr. Astroff. His accent is impeccable, his body language at times conveys more than his lines. His timing is amazing. His skills are well matched by those of Sheila Tousey as Nana and Tobias Andersen as the professor, all of whom create the best sort of stage believability. The lead role of Uncle Vanya is played by artistic director Allen Nause, which is where the casting gets interesting.
Vanya is written to be a long-suffering farmer who has spent the first 40 years of his life supporting the professor’s career. The audience is arriving at the end of Vanya’s rope. During the play’s two hours he realizes the futility of his life, and that the woman that he loves is married to the man he has come to despise. Vanya himself is a study in frustration and misery. Because of this (lack of) motivation, Nause’s Vanya is difficult to come to terms with. He’s a pain in the ass, but he’s supposed to be. He’s melodramatic and prone to idiotic fits of love, but he’s a drunkard in mid-life crisis. In short, by the third scene it’s impossible to tell if you can’t stand Nause as Vanya, or Vanya as a character.
Apart from this minor and possibly intentional dissatisfaction, Vanya tells a great story without the clich퀌�d ending. Elena’s vapidity and ridiculous accent are beautifully underscored by her fantastic 1920s costumes-a picture-perfect flapper stuck in the middle of rural Canada. Her flat recitation of lines lack inflection and emotion, and so does she. Her performance is almost as painful as her appearance on Vanya’s farm.
The sparse set and subtle lighting give the actors a comfortable, if not spacious stage. A.R.T. performances regularly spill into the theater aisles and Vanya is not an exception. It is slightly more difficult to suspend disbelief and be transported to rural 1920s Canada with an Adidas in the picture, but where else can I see William Hurt for less that $30?