Uncle Vanya (Hunter Theater Project)

B-

Under the leadership of Theater Department Chair Gregory Mosher, Hunter College has initiated a program of producing bare-bones theatrical productions at an affordable price ($37) in their intimate Frederic Loewe Theater. Launching the project is this version of a Chekhov masterpiece directed by Richard Nelson, who also collaborated on the translation with today’s go-to Russian literature translators Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky. On the basis of his Apple Family Plays and the Gabriel trilogy, some have dubbed Nelson the American Chekhov, so it is fascinating to see what happens when he gives the Russian master his “let’s sit around the kitchen table and talk” approach. For me, the results are a bit disappointing; there is too much Nelson and too little Chekhov. Nelson’s approach restricts the play’s emotional range and drains some of its humor and pathos. Some of Chekhov’s words, such as Sonya’s concluding speech, just do not lend themselves to a conversational approach. The level of the acting is quite uneven. Nelson stalwarts Jay O. Sanders as Vanya and Jon DeVries as Alexander Serebryakov make powerful impressions. Yvonne Woods is strong as Sonya. Celeste Arias fares reasonably well in the enigmatic role of the old professor’s young wife Elena. In the minor roles of Sonya’s former nanny Marina, Kate Kearney-Patch is adequate. As grandmother Marya, Alice Cannon barely registers. The unfortunate casting of the key role of Dr. Astrov is the weakest element of the production. Although Jesse Pennington certainly looks the part, he barely whispers many of his lines and shows so little affect that he almost seems in a trance. During a few monologues, actors directly address audience members, which I think works rather well. John Ardizzone-West's scenic design consists mostly of three kitchen tables, several mismatched chairs and some dinnerware. Mark Koss's costumes do not look very Russian. I had forgotten that the play includes a strong ecological message that is even more relevant today. Fortunately Chekhov’s genius is resilient and comes through this adaptation mostly intact. While far from an unalloyed success, the evening is an interesting experiment worth experiencing and a promising start for the Hunter Theater Project. Running time: one hour 45 minutes; no intermission.