BULLET REVIEW — UNCLE VANYA
Now in previews at Lincoln Center/Opening April 24, 2024
I’m not an opera fan. I never got to hear the late great Luciano Pavorotti in person, but if I was and I did, I imagine that the lyrics and plot were not why people bought tickets. That is how I felt sitting up close to the mega watt talent on stage at Lincoln Center, Vivian Beaumont Theatre, in Uncle Vanya, now in previews.
The reason to see this “new version” of the Chekhov classic is not its story of unrelenting sadness and failed lives. If it succeeds it will be because of the star power of Steve Carrell, Alfred Molina, Alison Pill, William Jackson Harper and Anika Noni Rose along with writing by Heidi Schreck and directing by Lila Neugebauer.
The main character, Uncle Vanya (Steve Carrell) is very sad because life passed him by while he was working hard for his fat headed, blow hard professor brother in law, Alexander (Alfred Molina). Alexander’s daughter, Sonya (Alison Pill) is sad because she has an unrequited thing for Astrov an attractive local doctor (William Jackson Harper). Astrov is sad because he drinks too much and he loves Alexander’s beautiful wife Elena (Anika Noni Rose ). Elena is sad because she doesn’t love her husband Alexander. Alexander is too clueless and full of himself to realize that he should also be sad.
The star studded cast includes veteran Broadway pros Mia Katigbalk, as Marina, the housekeeper; Jayne Houdyshell as Alexander’s mother and Jonathan Hadary, as Waffles, the impoverished broken neighbor. For the record, they are also quite sad.
During the intermission a friend commented that maybe what’s missing from this production is costuming and staging more evocative of the angst and suffering that inspired Chekhov in 1897.
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