Uncle Vanya (Hunter Theater Project)

See it if you want a smart, approachable, naturalistic staging of Chekhov that feels more like eavesdropping on a family than watching a classic drama

Don't see it if u don't like Nelson's quiet, low key, conversational productions à la Gabriels & Apple Family plays; u prefer your Russian drama traditional

See it if Very intimate production of Uncle Vanya. I had not seen Uncle Vanya before, but found this accessible and intense.

Don't see it if You want to see a dynamic, action filled play. I found it hard to stay awake in the middle, despite the excellent acting.

Also I loved the director, Richard Nelson's "The Gabriel's" trilogy which I saw in one day at the Public Theater last year. That production included Jay O. Sanders who played Uncle Vanya in this production. His performance in this play is incredible.... Read more Read less

See it if you love intelligent, brilliant & subtle acting, writing & direction. The quiet ending is devastating; Woods as Sonja is superb.

Don't see it if you are looking for action or a complicated approach to Chekov; you do not enjoy personal theater in an intimate setting;

Also Excellent, comprehensible translation of Uncle Vanya - no confusion or head scratching as to what is going on. As in most Nelson productions, you are actively listening as the conversations are quiet. This makes me feel like an active participant in the play.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see the aways dependable Jay O. Sanders give the performance of his career in Richard Nelson's exquisite production.

Don't see it if you don't like intimate theatre or people speaking in normal tones.

Also Perhaps this production has the finest ensemble currently on stage in New York. Kudos to everyone involved! I hope this marks a fruitful beginning for The Hunter Theatre Project.... Read more Read less

See it if classic Chekhov play interpreted by Richard Nelson; similar in staging to his Gabriel plays - quietly spoken around a kitchen table; low key

Don't see it if you need to hear every bit of dialogue or if you don't like plays that are dialogue heavy with little action; did not like the Gabriel plays

Also Jay O. Sanders was excellent, even better than his wonderful performances in the Gabriel plays.Other actors also excellent. Yvonne Woods touching as the daughter.
The plays is done in the round so sometimes actors will have their backs to you. This was only a problem with the actor who played the doctor. He had a bit of an accent which combined with the quiet voice made it difficult to understand. I sat in the section to the left as I walked in and his back was generally facing this section. Possible that sitting across would have been better so that lip reading could help.... Read more Read less

See it if Like the play and missed the recent Richard Nelson Apple/Gabriel plays. Love to be right on top of the action.

Don't see it if Took a while to get into some of the actor's styles. Uneven between comedy and the dramatic outbursts.

See it if You love Chekov. You love naturalistic acting of the first order. You love theatre.

Don't see it if You can't sit still, listen, and be taken to another world.

Also As fine a show as I have seen in years. Run, don't walk! Jay O, Sanders is always fine and in this role he shines.... Read more Read less

See it if You have seen other productions of Vanya but felt emotionally disconnected from the material.

Don't see it if You dislike theatre in the round. You dislike the source material to the point where you feel you wouldn't enjoy any production of it.

Also "This man, who for twenty-five years has hashing over other people's ideas about realism, naturalism and all that nonsense." -Vanya

I would be tempted to describe this production as naturalistic but I feel the Uncle would disapprove.

Never have I seen a production before so daring and bold in its simplicity. In its ease and confidence. The staging is simple, intuitive.

Jesse Pennington, as the transcendental Mikhail, not only give a great performance, but a performance that is emblematic of the entire production.

And then there is Jay O'Sanders as the titular uncle himself. For most of the piece, he is a bear in hibernation. His power is evident even when he is at rest.

But all of the performances are powerful, and each character endlessly distinct.

Uncle Vanya also feels very communal. It is set in the round and the actors occasionally look to the audience to end an ear.

Brilliant direction, intriguing performances, and a great translation.... Read more Read less

See it if you like theatre in the round, you want a nicely staged, generally well-acted version of a classic. It is satisfactory, if not excellent.

Don't see it if you have hearing difficulties. The folks next to me were really struggling, it seemed, Also, if you like scenery & don't like intimate shows

See it if you enjoy the wonderful ensemble and convincing realism and intimacy of Richard Nelson's productions, making a classic play more accessible.

Don't see it if you didn't like Richard Nelson's productions at the Public. This is an identical approach - all taking place in the kitchen & very low key.

Also As usual, with Richard Nelson's productions, if you don't have perfect hearing, get the hearing assist devices.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy great acting close up, theater in the round, new stagings of classic plays. Thoroughly enjoyable, well-paced, powerful.

Don't see it if .. I hesitate to say the usual "if you only love B'way musicals" type thing, so really, just go see this, it's lovely

Also My Google calendar invite sent me to an address on West 4th Street, the theater's prior location, so beware. This is the first production in the new theater at Hunter College on 68th. Also note (if you were wondering) this is not a student production. Also, it's general admission and they send you to another building to pick up your ticket and use the restroom before you go in, so, while there are no bad seats, I advise an early arrival if you want to sit together or need an aisle. Finally, just FYI, no bar, no snacks, so don't come hungry because they do a lot of eating during the play!... Read more Read less

See it if casual, conversational Chekhov entices you. Some may feel many moments are underplayed. Here there’s 1 emotional climax, & it’s devastating.

Don't see it if theater in the round frustrates you. That big climax was done with its back to me but Sanders is so good, I felt it anyway.

See it if you like Vanya or Russian theater and appreciate great acting.

Don't see it if you are looking to be entertained.

Also Richard Nelson works his everyday magic. Immensely rewarding.

See it if you want to see relatively brisk production of a Chekhov play.

Don't see it if you are not enamored of the type of play (Chekhovian) that unfolds like a slow-burn of several interior dramas.

Also This production is based on a new translation. I don't know whether or not there have been any cuts. The translation does a fine job of seeming modern without being "contemporary"--that is, there are no contemporary linguistic tics (e.g., four-letter words) that try to turn the old setting into one that is hip for modern audiences. The problems in the play are modern enough. At times, different characters have interior monologues that they "exteriorize" by addressing the remarks to specific members of the audience; in addition to taking me out of the play, the monologues were sometimes inaudible as they were done around the circumference of the theater-in-the-round production. But I found the evening worthwhile.... Read more Read less

See it if You relish a production of the play that makes sense and is enlightening. You appreciate excellent acting.

Don't see it if You don't like Chekhov and you can't sit still for nearly two hours. You prefer a broader style of performance.

Also I'm a Chekhov fan, but I'd never read Vanya and decided to shortly before seeing this. I was captured by this translation and the brilliant and moving production. I did miss the character of Telegin and, occasionally, I did want a character to be somewhat more emotive (as I felt the person would have been in life; e.g. the doctor describing the loss of a patient) . Full disclosure: Jay Sanders is a friend and I adore his acting. He's been called an "unsung treasure." Well, now he's "sung."

I encourage everyone to see this intelligent version of a wonderful play.... Read more Read less

See it if You like the subtleties of Richard Nelson. The quiet writing. The quiet storytelling.

Don't see it if You don't like the Chekhov play.

See it if EVEN if you've never been able to get into Checkov. This production makes him completely accessible & engrossing.

Don't see it if you don't like plays w/heavy dialogue, unhappiness, or on the human condition These people lead lives of quiet desperation. It's a lesson.

Also Rarely do you get to see a production like this Uncle Vanya.

In my opinion, it is theater at its best because it:
-makes you feel
-make you think about your own life & choices
-moves you out of your own environment and into someone else’s

It is transporting. Thanks to the staging as well as the transparent acting,
I felt as if I were in the countryside with them. I wanted to console them and reassure them that they could change their fate; that they didn’t have to lead lives of despair and loneliness.

It is classic Checkov yet it never felt this accessible.

This is the first production of the Hunter Theater Project. What a launch it is. I see a bright future.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a definitive version of the play.

Don't see it if You are put off by Richard Nelson's directorial shtick.

See it if Unusually intimate Chekhov. Adaptation simplified the play. Mostly terrific cast. In the round. Conversational.

Don't see it if Long slow passages. Dry hopeless Chekhov - much of the eccentricity drained off. A little spark from "Elena" wouldn't have hurt.

See it if New translation with predictable Richard Nelson direction, an untraditional interpretation of Chekhov. A total misfire despite rave reviews

Don't see it if Reshapes Chekhov into a Nelson play. Uneven performances, some quite poor, falls short conveying the essence of a great drama.

See it if Uncle Vanya was an up close intimate, raw, natural, realistic theater-in-round performance. Excellent acting especially by Jay O. Sanders.

Don't see it if you don't like Chekhov or understated acting.

See it if You want to experience this masterwork in the most intimate surroundings imaginable.

Don't see it if You cannot LISTEN or have little patience for exploration of the monumental trivialities of daily life.

Also The Apple Plays don’t fall far from the tree! Nelson has ingeniously reimagined Uncle Vanya. A hushed and vivid experience.... Read more Read less

See it if You enjoy being depressed

Don't see it if You prefer your Chekhov a laugh riot.

See it if want to see a master class in acting and directing.

Don't see it if you like fluffy, lighthearted shows.

Also Such a flawless production. I went a 2nd time and took 4 more with me. All of whom enjoyed it. One of the finest productions I've seen. A true masterwork. I only went because of reviews. Chekhov is not a playwright I usually run out to see, but this production was so good I'm thankful I got to see it.... Read more Read less

See it if you need an urgent Chekhov fix. You like your theater by the book and with few surprises.

Don't see it if The program notes make a point of how Chekhov believed in showing ordinary life rather than dramatic moments. The staging follows the advice

Also but, unfortunately, this approach requires much more convincing acting than this cast delivers. There is nothing horribly wrong with this production other than the fact that it feels rather boring and uninspired other than 15 minutes culmination towards then end. The staging doesn't help - the stage is in the center surrounded by the seating on all sides; the result is that half the actors are quite literally with their backs towards some part of the audience.... Read more Read less