Uncle Vanya (Hunter Theater Project) NYC Reviews and Tickets

"It’s clearer, truer, and more comprehensible than it’s ever been before...I’m still shivery, teary-eyed, and stunned from seeing Richard Nelson’s devastatingly intimate production...This is as naked and fully human an 'Uncle Vanya' as we’re likely to see. Nelson’s impeccably balanced ensemble doesn’t seem to be so much interpreting the script as living it...The performances are so self-effacing, you won’t at first realize how thorough and completely felt they are."
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"We’ve never seen a Vanya like this—huge, ox-necked, shuddering like a dray horse from from burdens he’s pulled too long. Sanders's acting contains a level of detail that simply shouldn’t be visible without a camera to magnify it...The only people onstage who come close to this titanic performance are Woods, a vivid and feeling actor, and DeVries, who can also render the pore-level naturalism that Nelson demands. But a central chunk of the play belongs to Astrov and Elena, who are less secure."
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"It’s a pity that Nelson, Pevear, and Volokhonsky’s new version of ‘Uncle Vanya’...often seems to stick in the mouths of its actors. The cast is, for the most part, superb, and in the moments they’re not shown to best advantage, their inherent abilities are still well visible below the text...It’s a credit to them, to Nelson as a director, and to the irrepressible brilliance of Chekhov that the production still manages, labored language and all, to find moments of real humor and pathos."
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"The results are successful in every way...I can wholeheartedly recommend this production to Chekhov novices and connoisseurs...Such terrible tales are best told in an understated way, and Nelson’s actors hardly ever raise their voices, whether figuratively or literally. Instead, they let you listen in as they watch the sun set on their bleak little world...One of our most accomplished character actors, Sanders gets to be the star of this show, scoring a decisive triumph in the title role."
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“A heart-piercing production as sublime as I’ve ever seen Chekhov performed...The actors...speak in intentionally normal tones of voice, and if you have trouble catching every word, Nelson has said he doesn’t much care...By distilling the text to a seemingly fresh variety of conversational truthfulness...Vanya’s silent suffering feel brutally real. And when in this instance Vanya’s patience finally runs out, Sanders’s explosion is nothing less than cataclysmic.”
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"Utilizes the distinctly small style that Nelson, as playwright and director, has honed over the past several years. The actors speak in a near whisper and express the unique suffering of these characters in true Chekhovian style, with an elegant balance of vocal and physical anguish...Nelson, Pevar, and Volokhonsky have created a lithe, colloquial cutting of 'Uncle Vanya'...It's the perfect introduction to the text for new audiences, while still capturing the spirit of the original."
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"The most interesting feature of the translation is how the language rarely commits itself to a period...New York stage gem Jay O. Sanders is extremely compelling in the title role...But it's Yvonne Woods' captivating performance as Sonya, Serebryakov's daughter through his first marriage, that gives this production its true beauty...As long as Nelson's productions keep supplying such superb ensembles giving such fully-realized performances, familiarity breeds admiration."
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“The translation, which feels fresh without being distractingly contemporary, fits neatly with Nelson's staging...The design consists of little more than a table and some chairs, with...mics hanging overhead, providing just enough...to make every word intelligible, despite the low-key, almost cinematic, acting style...Nelson has assembled a number of fine companions for Sanders' Vanya...Sanders carries the day; his Vanya is the preeminent member of this house of fools and broken hearts."
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"The characters call each other by Russian names and the story retains its indeterminate Russian situation of 120 years ago. But for all emotional intents and purposes, the drama might as well be about the Serebryakov family sharing a miserable time in Rhinebeck last summer...Nelson’s trim adaptation and quiet staging of the play underscores the timeless nature of 'Uncle Vanya.' The artful simplicity and intimacy of his well-acted American interpretation of a Russian classic is very satisfying."
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"The Nelson-Pevear-Volokhonsky translation is unadorned but never dull, poetic but not pretentious...You can rest assured that this is still, first and foremost, Chekhov’s 'Uncle Vanya'...Intimate, sometimes whisper-quiet, and often deeply, deeply moving...And you might want to bring tissues for Sonya’s we’ll-live-and-we’ll-rest speech at the end. I’m not sure how Woods gets through that picture-imperfect description of life and death every night without breaking down."
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“The first ‘Vanya’ that brought me to tears and made me laugh in places I never had before...Credit must go to a fine cast and the intimate mise en scène that Nelson has been perfecting...What I found revelatory...with its un-showy acting and vocal delivery...was that the line between pathos and silliness, gravity and giddiness, was blown away. When we watch real, unscripted life, humor and heartbreak can switch places in the blink of an eye. Nelson solved the Chekhovian riddle.”
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"The production still has enough strengths to satisfy those (like myself) who have seen multiple productions of the play. Its biggest asset is unquestionably the invaluable Jay O. Sanders, who hands in a memorable turn in the title role. Larger in size than many of his celebrated predecessors, Sanders' stature makes his Vanya seem even more trapped in the cramped Russian house."
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"While an overriding sense of boredom and and failure afflicts all the characters, you won't be bored or happy with this latest of 'Uncle Vanya's' many translations and interpretations...While the translated dialogue is definitely contemporary it's not gratingly so but works well with the conversational line delivery...Nelson once again proves himself to be one of the rare playwright adept at directing his own work."
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“I cannot muster up any enthusiasm for this production...The return of Sanders and DeVries is a welcome addition as both men give exceptional performances. This is a Vanya you will feel in your gut and an Alexánder who’s narcissism fits him like a tailored suit…At the center of this disappointment is the script...It takes Sanders and DeVries every ounce of their skills to light a match under this text, but so soggy is the writing that the flame fizzles out as soon as either leaves the stage.”
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"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...The level of the acting is quite uneven. Nelson stalwarts Jay O. Sanders as Vanya and Jon DeVries as Alexander Serebryakov make powerful impressions...The unfortunate casting of the key role of Dr. Astrov is the weakest element of the production...Fortunately Chekhov’s genius is resilient and comes through this adaptation mostly intact."
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“With so much of Chekhov, the true drama occurs in the subtext, in the silences between the lines and on the faces of the actors...And so the problems with this production began...with the idea to stage the play in the round, which meant that I often couldn't see the expressions on the actors' faces...It also doesn't help that Nelson has the actors speak without any attempt to project their voices...The one bright spot is Jay O. Sanders' sympathetic portrayal of Vanya."
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"Nelson has a gift for portraying sharply observed families, capturing the affection and tension that arise in everyday interactions...The exquisite translation...strips the language to its essence. It's clear and illuminating. When a gunshot goes off, it's not the bang that surprises, but the sudden explosion of feeling. This is theater at its best: No special effects, no gizmos, just heartbreaking acting and a script that feels so contemporary, it could have been written last week."
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“Nelson’s adaptation is disappointing, not so much for the translation of the Russian master’s play but for the production Nelson has directed...This production lacks the humor and the emotional clout that makes Chekhov’s work so fascinating...The actor speak at normal voice levels, that is, they do not project their lines....The battle to hear was a massive distraction...The style was quite unrealistic...With Nelson’s muttered voices, the play is stripped of its desired effect upon the audience.”
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“A spectacular production...This new ‘Vanya’ has a conversational smoothness...The words tumble naturally from the mouths of the actors...This Old Globe production modernizes Chekhov's play without updating it...Every minute is imbued with a density of life...One of the most exquisite renderings of ‘Uncle Vanya’...a heartbreaking reading of the play that retains just enough of the original's sly humor to be truly Chekhovian...Pitch-perfect ensemble.”
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“This production focuses on keeping things simple, emphasizing conversations that help to define the characters' relationships, and avoiding any hint that greater symbolism lies beneath...Nelson has directed the actors to keep their speech conversational, which means that a complex sound design is needed...The result is no less than stunning...The universality of feelings...is always clear and never contrived...Theatre lovers and novices will find this revival...one to cherish.”
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“A production that plays both to the intimacy of the performance space and to the confidences and mostly muted confrontations between Chekhov’s characters...Sanders’ title-role portrayal is a stalwart one...The quiet strength of Sonya is deftly conveyed by Woods...’Uncle Vanya’ is ponderous, and its principals’ self-pity and blaming tiring over four tense but slowly unfolding acts. It will reward the patience of those who stick with it.”
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“A most talented cast...Pickens' unusual sound design is evident from the start. A cluster of microphones is suspended over the stage...It brought the actors into my world and visa versa...This memorable production will stand out for several reasons not the least of which is the accessibility of the translation, the impeccable sound design and the clarity and definitive movements and directness of bringing the characters to life...This is one ‘Vanya’ you will not want to miss. Two thumbs up!”
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“Yet another new translation of Chekhov’s first big success commissioned for this engagement from the well-respected team of Pevear and Volokhonsky plus the director, Nelson...I like the drive and the focus of their choices, avoiding slang and contemporary influences but still delivering the passion and heat...My only complaint is the exclusion of a supporting character, the old tenant Telegin...The acting ensemble is as praiseworthy as the rest of the project.”
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“The Old Globe’s production of ‘Uncle Vanya’ is nothing short of an excellent example of letting a classic have its vibrant say once again...Presented in a ‘conversational’ style...Supplemented by very carefully positioned speakers...This play is well paced and as the relationships and heartbreak unfold, are punctuated with lightness with moments of humor...The characters...may be dissatisfied with some of their choices, but you won’t feel that way after seeing this show.”
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