Uncle Romeo Vanya Juliet

See it if you love everything Bedlam does...but URVJ is not time well-spent. Neither play is brought to life w/the interweaving. Jarring transitions.

Don't see it if you want entertainment or enlightenment. Acting doesn't shine. I know both plays well, but what's the point of the juxtaposition? Annoying.

See it if A good concept but this is slow confuse add ing. If you like both writers or stories.

Don't see it if You want something that is more consistent flowing. If you want a faster paced show.

See it if Bedlam's quirky often irritating fusion of Shakespeare & Chekhov is episodic & heavy handed despite solid work from ensemble but well staged

Don't see it if Problem isn't the mash-up (it's more Vanya than R&J) It's the unrelenting, overwrought pace of the piece Lacks any subtly of originals

See it if Imagine 2 classics in repertory, but at the same time. Forget Why?, incongruous themes force complete attention. Sonya utters Juliet lines.

Don't see it if Familiarity with both plays is essential or 2.5 hrs. will drag. Bland performances and wardrobe. Like the zombification of the classics.

See it if you want to see a failed experiment by the Bedlam theatre company. It is hard to see what Tucker was trying to do in mashing up these plays.

Don't see it if you want to see Uncle Vanya played very broadly with snippets of Romeo and Juliet thrown in without making much sense.

Also Confession: I walked out at intermission. I admire Bedlam and hope they can produce a worthy production next time. Their previous production, "Pygmalion" was outstanding. I saw the outstanding production of "Uncle Vanya" the night before, and that was so exquisite, it puts this production to shame.... Read more Read less

See it if you're fan of experimentation, always needed 2 C a Vanya /R&J mash-up, like rest of Bedlams work, recognize actors trying 2 overcome script

Don't see it if don't want 2 give 2 1/2 hours to experimentation, want actors 2 succeed in presenting abstracts, need a reason, want some sort of continuum

See it if Mostly Uncle Vanya interspersed by a scattering of scenes from Romeo and Juliet. Confusing even if you know both plays.

Don't see it if You want a coherent theatre experience. You don’t like experimental theatre.

See it if you like intellectually rigorous experiments w/ Chekhov. Tests your patience but the cast does great work—esp Millonzi as Sonya.

Don't see it if you want R&J to function as little more than an occasional symbol of poetic idealism used to magnify UV’s prosaic cynicism.

Also It’s a really uneven experience because the show fully misses the mark on the comic potential of Yelena/Juliet, but URVJ has strong performances & interesting comparisons fueling it. Don’t expect either play brought to new heights, or to feel absorbed in the plot; this show constantly detaches & forces you to evaluate UV’s characters against R&J's paragons of love/suicidal hopelessness. It’s tiring (was tempted to leave at intermission) but somehow also appreciable—if you like intertextual exercises.

URVJ isn’t nearly as winning as last season’s Pygmalion, but much more satisfying than Bedlam’s obnoxious Peter Pan. I'm glad Tucker thought of and tried this—and went all in w/ a great cast and the full production treatment. The idea works juuust well enough that if Bedlam or another skilled group attempts another mash-up, I’d look forward to it.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy the thought of mashup between Romeo and Juliet and Uncle Vanya with energetic performances but massively confusing

Don't see it if if massively confusing mashuos don't appeal to you

See it if you enjoy experimental theatre, the BEDLAM company, or just plain whimsical theatre. This troupe is great, although this offering is not.

Don't see it if you are not familiar with both plays in the title, or if you simply want to stick with Stoppard for mash-ups.

See it if You like BEDLAM’s work and enjoy a good ensemble of actors

Don't see it if If you want Plays told in a classic way.

See it if This mash-up of Chekov and Shakespeare is complicated and messy but still fascinating. Definitely recommend rereading both plots synopsis

Don't see it if be prepared to journey back and forth between stories and language. Solid acting and amazing use of music and dancing but long. Very long.

See it if You admire the Bedlam company. Great Uncle Vanya, which should have stood alone. Not a good idea to try to combine with Romeo &Juliet.

Don't see it if You are not an admirer of the classics.

See it if You want to support a great theatre company not afraid to take risks. Enjoy when shows let you come to your own conclusions about the piece.

Don't see it if You dislike absurdist theatre. If you don't like either or both of the source materials. You are unfamiliar with the subject material.

Also "Peace, peace, Mercutio, peace!
Thou talk’st of nothing."

"True, I talk of dreams, which are the children of an idle brain." -Romeo and Juliet

The idea behind Bedlam's mashup is sound. Uncle Vanya and Rome & Juliet are wonderful foils to one another.

Chekov's characters eschew risk, and turn their backs on love, dying a slow, spiritual death.

Shakespeare's lovers choose the flame and risk everything for love, receiving it only to die, well, an actual death.

The shared poison, (Romeo's vile and Vanya's stolen morphine) murderous attempts on relatives, and some other small similarities.

But the execution is unconvincing and, moreover, poorly timed. I just saw the Hunter Theatre Project and the Bedlam translation is not as effective.

Bedlam is definitely worth supporting and if you have a tendency towards the more absurdist side of theatre it's definitely worth seeing. For most theatre-goers though, I would recommend checking out whatever Bedlam's next show is.... Read more Read less

See it if you love both texts and are alright with feeling lost much of the time.

Don't see it if you are expecting a traditional performance or are easily confused.

See it if you're up for some deconstructionist hijinks from the vibrant, actor-driven Bedlam company

Don't see it if you don't know Vanya and R&J well: you'll need that going in to try to appreciate what they're doing, which is ultimately not convincing

Also Some experiments are best left in the rehearsal hall. Sorry to report this may be one of them. The theatricality of Chekhov was in some ways a reaction against the fulsome language and emotion of Shakespeare, so to bring the Bard to bear on what is arguably Chekhov's masterwork is not a particularly illuminating lens. Though they share some themes, the two plays are heartbreaking in entirely different ways. Unfortunately, neither is well served by this venture as director Tucker's staging fails to tell either story convincingly. There is a credible production of Uncle Vanya lurking somewhere in there, in a slangy translation/adaptation credited to Kimberly Pau--but Verona keeps popping in like a slightly mad houseguest.... Read more Read less

See it if you know and appreciate Vanya and R&J; can be confusing otherwise. It has some high moments and others where it drags. Could be shorter.

Don't see it if you don't know the underlying works. This production juxtaposes scenes from each. Often chaotic.

See it if you want to engage with an interesting dramaturgical experiment by a remarkable company

Don't see it if you expect the vigor and verve of a Bedlam show or you dislike Chekhov, anachronism, or disco balls.

Also This piece is a remarkably interesting experiment in slamming together two (seemingly) unrelated works. The text itself is brilliant, utilizing fits and starts of Shakespeare's dialogue to undercut Chekhov's morose family tale without regard to who the original speaker was meant to be. The doubling up of Vanya/R&J characters was exceedingly well thought out. Particularly Tybalt.

This show is at its best when it is wild and reckless and full of energy and jazz, but that is precisely what it lacks the most. The first act is a mostly dreary affair devoid of life and unrolling at a snail's pace, the moments of magic and music being all to brief and, frankly, maddening. The second act fares much better as larger and large chunks of Shakespeare's melodrama are hurled at the audience, however, this is a show that still takes itself too seriously.

This could be a truly remarkable play if they'd stop suckling at Chekhov's over-exerted teat and just have fun.... Read more Read less

See it if you love Chekhov, Shakespeare and Bedlam and great acting and you are not afraid of innovation. If you love these classics, this is a must

Don't see it if you are looking for tradition or a lazy evening in the theater

Also Eric Tucker is a daring genius and his troop is amazing. This deserves to be seen and appreciated.... Read more Read less

See it if If you like Bedlam's usually innovative takes on the classics, you will still be disappointed by this mismatch. This is 90% Vanya.

Don't see it if It is not a very clever combination of the 2 plays. If you like the 2 plays you will not like what has been done here

Also I have enjoyed Bedlam's experimental plays on the classics especially Sense & Sensibility but was very disappointed by this. This really was not a combination of the 2 plays and did not bring any insight to the production(s). The R&J 'story' was nonexistent. Actors were miscast . Poorly written and directed. A few good moments but not worth the 2 1/2 hours of your time.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy Bedlam's mashups.

Don't see it if you like clear narratives and revere the two classics it's based on.

See it if you feel you must see all bedlam's work even if not up to par

Don't see it if you don't want to waste time, some acting was good, but

Also some acting was good, but it was overwhelmed by this poor mashup of 2 plays, it doesn't have any of the delight that sense & sensibility had
sorry guys try again... Read more Read less

See it if You love to see Chekhov challenged and deepened by Shakespeare. If you love Bedlam’s work.

Don't see it if You hate both Chekhov and Shakespeare, or if you like them simple and straightforward (and separate). If you want slmething big and splashy

Also In my opinion, it’s not really a “mash up.” It’s a production of Uncle Vanya where the characters use Romeo and Juliet to express themselves, to communicate, and to imagine their lives as something different. Juxtaposing the 2 plays deepens the sense of despair in the Chekhov; they want to be grand and romantic, even if it means being tragic. Because even a romance that ends in tragedy is better than a life of emptiness and disappointment.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see this great space. Also set is cool in it's simplicity with good use of props and music.

Don't see it if you want a coherent play. The two plays together didn't make any sense to me and the pace so slow. I love this company but not this.

See it if You want to be confused about the great works and try to understand throughout what is going on.

Don't see it if You want to be entertained and want good theater