By Nancy Lee Heuer-Evans
Get out your calendars and find time to see TUTA Theatre’s Uncle Vanya before June 28th when it closes for the second time.
It’s really that simple. There are innumerable reasons why this production was chosen one of the top 5 productions of 2008 by TimeOut Chicago Magazine and the Best Local Production in the Last Year by Chicago Reader. It is magic when everything comes together, as it does for this effervescent creation, remounted at the Chopin Theatre Studio Theatre and directed by Zeljko Djukic.
Chekhov’s exploration of the themes of work vs. idleness, intelligentsia vs. peasantry, instant gratification vs. delayed, and unappreciated grace literally shimmers in the hands of this talented cast. Andy Hager’s Astrov bristles with energy, idealism, humor, and serves as the catalyst for the play’s conflicts. So, too, Trey Maclin assumes the role of Uncle Vanya as his second skin, capturing the essence of the loving, conflicted, long-suffering, unrequited lover of Elena. It is breathtaking to watch such a gifted performer deftly turn a 110 year old script into a current, engrossing exploration of the complexity of longing, pain, and betrayal.
In one of the play’s lighter moments (remember, we’re talking lighter in terms of Russian drama, not Disney), the male cast members dazzle the audience with a drunken blues number that hints at the depth of the talent onstage. The affection between the characters of Dr. Astrov and Uncle Vanya is evident, and yet complicated—these actors do not shy away from the true complexity of these relationships. Rounding out the men of the ensemble, Gary Houston brings a believability to Professor Serebriakov, imbuing this role with a humorous, sympathetic dimension.
As the family’s representative of the intelligentsia, his character represents everything they oppose, or at the very least, don’t understand. Houston is irascible but not despicable, high maintenance without being annoying (to us—he is delightfully so to the family), and he manages to embody the pangs of growing old while striving to leave something behind he can claim authorship to, something of value. Chekhov has cleverly juxtaposed the professor’s longing for authorship with the doctor’s longing for creating something of value, irrespective of whether it carries his name, and Houston and Hager dance this conflict-choreography smoothly, effortlessly.
Ilya Ilyich Telegin, one of the background characters, is portrayed by Christopher Popio. While his role is smaller, his influence is felt throughout, as he strolls the grounds (represented by the outer clear glass doors) strumming his guitar, creating a haunting musical backdrop for the tense scenes within. He is central to the success of the unexpected and captivating musical numbers throughout.
The women of Chekhov carry a heavy burden—they are reactive, rather than proactive; however, Elena, Serebriakov’s young wife and the center of much of the play’s conflict, is beautifully, one might even say masterfully portrayed by Stacie Beth Green. Green’s cultured voice, sexual tension, her ability to portray ennui without actually being boring, is a treat to behold. Her scenes with Hager crackle with unexpressed desire and palpably demonstrate her repressed longing for something—ANYthing—to break the monotony of her predictable days and nights.
In fact, while this cast is full of stellar individual performances, it truly functions as an ensemble, where each piece is made stronger as a part of the whole. Jacqueline Stone’s Sonya, while the least fully realized individual character, still rose to the occasion when paired in scenes with Green and Maclin. Joan Merlo, as Marina, brings to life some of the show’s tenderest moments. Somehow Merlo has tapped into a reservoir of patience and grace and channels these qualities to provide the glue holding these desperate disparate people together. She is Mother Russia: earthy, loving, timeless, concerned—all without giving in to the stereotype.
From a technical standpoint, Uncle Vanya is seamless. The set is beautifully conceived by Martin Andrew—lean, spare, suggestive, yet stylish. The sound design by Mikhail Fiksel and Miles Polaski add another gourmet layer to this textured production from the plaintive opening guitar music to the hypnotic thrum of rain on the roof of the house, and every point in between. The costumes are period appropriate and yet also managed to achieve a timeless elegance, thanks to the guidance of Natasha Vuchurovich Djukic. The subtle uses of white vs. black and the various shades of brown as cues for the audience indicating how close to the earth/nature each character is serves as another layer of meaning without intruding.
Chekhov would be pleased—his vision is fully realized through all aspects of this production—acting, lighting, props, music, costumes. Each is excellent without drawing undue focus, yet another example of a working ensemble.
The only area in which this production falls short of perfection is Sonya’s final monologue. While Stone is a capable actress, her acting choices throughout the show are more presentational than any of the rest of the cast, and this is never more evident than in the closing monologue of the show, where Sonya implores her Uncle Vanya to be patient, keep working, and eventually death will be his rest. This doesn’t work because Sonya is not three dimensional; it is hard to swallow Chekhov’s final message (which is very difficult to take anyway but I do not wish to digress into a discussion of the “if God is merciful …[fill in the blank]…”discussion) from a character who has not been brave or risked anything, who couldn’t even tell the man she loved her feelings, whose primary quality is that of endurance. If Stone’s Sonya had resonated with faith, with resilience, with energy and optimism from the opening scene, we might better tolerate the treatise on faith and the after life as its own reward. As it is, not so much.
However, do NOT let this slight blemish deter you from an evening or afternoon of Uncle Vanya. This production may be short-lived but its impact will not be. It will hum its mournful melody to you long after you exit the eclectic Chopin Theatre Studio, setting the bar very high for all future evenings. I was so mesmerized I forgot my purse.
4 STARS
(“Uncle Vanya” runs through June 28, at the Chopin Studio Theatre, 1543 W. Division St. 847-217-0691)
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