There are no remaining performances of this production.
PROVO — Last week, Utah Shakespeare in the Park performed their latest production, Anton Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya. The company seeks to present abridged works to make classic theatre accessible to modern audiences. Though I was somewhat surprised this group would branch out beyond the works of William Shakespeare so soon after their premiere summer shows, Much Ado and Romeo & Juliet, I applaud the group for taking such a risk to tackle a difficult piece like Uncle Vanya.
The play is a “dramedy” of sorts– not exactly a comedy, but with enough humor to sweeten the weight of the drama. Uncle Vanya was written in the late 1890’s and premiered in Moscow in 1899, starring Konstantin Stanislavski as Astrov the doctor. The play recounts the story of an old retired professor, Serebrakov (played by Jordan Kramer), who lives on the estate of his deceased wife with his daughter, Sonya (Hannah Miner), and young new wife, Yelena (Jacqueline Johnson). Serebrakov is irritable and suffers from gout, but resents and refuses recommended treatments from Astrov (Christopher Sherwood Davis). The estate is run by Vanya (Bryan Bowerman), Sonya’s uncle, who earns very little of the estate’s income for his own salary. Tension mounts as Astrov and Vanya are both in love with Yelena, who spurns them both, and Sonya is in love with Astrov, who fails to notice her. When the professor announces that he intends to sell the estate in favor of living closer to town, Vanya tries to kill him.
It’s a beautiful story that really delves into the complexity of existence, particularly in a rather pastoral setting. The play examines the simultaneously juxtaposing joy and misery of human relationships which all seem to come to a head given the small space the characters share and the limited contact they have with other people. Unfortunately, while it was clear the cast of this production clearly get along well and have some natural chemistry, overall the performance really lacked subtlety and the delicate nuance that balances the ironic humor that blooms from real misery.
My largest concern was the inappropriate laughter from the audience throughout the play. While credit needs to be given to a clearly uninformed audience in this case, the general goofiness that permeated the performance did not do much to clearly indicate when it would be appropriate to perhaps indulge a chuckle. For example, there should be no reason for an audience to laugh at an attempted homicide during a climactic and emotional scene. Of course, Chekhov has a very tricky way of turning on a dime, but without a deep understanding of that turn or how to execute it, the audience will be unable to follow– which was very clearly the problem.
I also found myself asking a number of questions that I had hoped would have been answered– or at least asked– during the rehearsal process. What is it about Telegin (Lawrence Fernandez) that makes his face look so much like waffles that it becomes his nickname? Is Sonya as plain or ugly as she purports to be, or is her plainness a deep insecurity that’s more a state of mind than it is physical, since Hannah Miner is actually a very pretty girl? What is it about Yelena or what does she specifically do to make men fall in love with her? Is Vanya truly ashamed of his extreme actions, and why does Serebrakov seem to forgive him so readily for attempting to murder him? It is one thing to memorize and perform lines for a show, but since the play begins after years of interactions between these characters, it is vital to ask– and answer– questions that will get to the heart of these people and really drive their motivations.
There were also moments throughout the play where action or character choice was informed by the script but not executed by the actors. I did not feel that Yelena seemed particularly surprised when Astrov noted her “look of surprise.” Sonya was apparently crying at a point where she was being comforted and asked “why are you crying?” though I did not see it. It is specifically noted that Astrov “acts like a bear sometimes,” especially when he is drunk, but I hardly found Astrov anything but likable throughout the entirety of the performance.
I was also startled by the lack of any real attempt to age these very young actors in middle-aged and very-aged roles. If an actor is not going to be aged with makeup, what can be done with physicality of movement or tone of voice that may better indicate, for example, that Vanya is 47 years old? There will always be a necessary suspension of disbelief when a young actor plays an older character, but there seemed to be very little focus on some very necessary aging.
This is not to say the production was without merit. Jordan Kramer and Christopher Sherwood Davis were convincing and natural; both possessed a deeper understanding of their roles within the society of the estate. Kramer was also a rather charming curmudgeon whose timid walk and “old man” voice did much to strengthen his character. Lawrence Fernandez created a good relationship with the audience which was perhaps slightly too informal for the general tone of the play, but made the audience feel very welcomed into this world from the moment he first picked up his guitar. He is also a very talented musician. Hannah Miner and Jacqueline Johnson demonstrated some nice tenderness in their scenes together, and Kat Webb had a real sweetness in her portrayal of Marina the nurse.
In general, it may have been a bit too ambitious for this very young company to tackle a work like Uncle Vanya at this point in their repertoire. The mission statement of the group focuses specifically on presenting 90-minute cuttings of Shakespeare “in beautiful outdoor spaces.” I actually think Uncle Vanya may have benefited from an outdoor setting to embrace the timelessness of country life. In any case, since Shakespeare’s works are so well-known and do lend themselves to more simply produced productions, it may be good for this company to stick to their original intentions as they hit their stride before branching out to other major works.
Joy and misery do happen simultaneaously in life. I think That’s why the audience laughed in the seriouse parts, because it was true. What do you think?
Along the lines of what the canuck said, we as human beings find comedy in the reality of human life. Chekhov is so full of subtext, and actors learn that sometimes the content isn’t entirely to be found in the lines, but in the relationships, the history, and the undercurrent of emotions carrying us from one scene to the next. The questions asked by the reviewer are all the right ones- all questions the company sought to provoke with “Vanya”.
You have written a very thoughtful, considerate review. I do believe, however, that you have approached the play itself from the wrong direction, and have failed to see the merit of what was done with it here. I agree that the play could have been much better. I think it could have been even funnier. But as it was, I loved the play. I wish I could see it again. My full comment on this can be found at utahshakespeareinthepark.wordpress.com
I agree with the author in this review. While I think there is a time for laughter and for misery, and that the two can be found going hand in hand at times, it is vital for an actor to master how to handle these moments. It cannot be too much of one and not of the other, and while I did not have the chance of seeing Uncle Vanya, I felt these same problems were present in previous productions I had seen this company perform this past summer. Too many times did I find myself laughing not because of what a character was doing, but because of the antics of an actor that was portraying the role. Not to say that they were bad, but I felt that they didnt understand those moments in the script and and in the end, it became a display of ability, not of the characters themselves.
I did have the chance to see this performance, and I feel that while the author was writing from a typical American audience member point of view, I think they missed the point. I have had the chance to study quite a bit of Russian literature, including Chekhov, and Chekhov calls his plays comedies, NOT tragedies. It is a beautifully written COMEDY, not something frequently seen in American audiences. Our comedies are farcical, sharp, fast, and lacking substance (the vast majority in any event.) We are not accustomed to what Chekhov was meant to be; a beautifully poetic hilarious comedy.
I felt the actors had the best grip of Chekhov that I’ve seen in the United States, and while not a flawless performance (I have yet to see one of these in real life so perhaps I am far too critical in my judgments), I was delighted to see actors mature and capable enough to handle something that most actors would have dramatized out of lack of creativity or understanding.
I was extremely disappointed to find “Utah Shakespeare in the Park” had posted a rather immature response to the above review on their blog. It strikes me as an extremely insecure way to respond to criticism (Criticism, which I might add, was politely stated by Ms. Bell, without a hint of sarcasm or malice– something which cannot be said about the response).
For a small company that is in their first year of production, reputation is extremely important. A response as such is certainly something to be discussed as a cast privately, but posting it on a public blog lacks a level of professionalism that one would hope a young theater company strives for.
This action is a detriment to the strong theater community in Utah Valley, and only fosters mistrust and hostility towards other members of said community. I challenge Utah Shakespeare in the Park to rethink the image they are presenting to their potential audience.
I agree, not to mention the fact that I don’t appreciate being told that the reason some of us aren’t understanding it is because we are too “American”. Nationality aside, a play should always communicate with an audience in a way that involves them, not push them back and then say they aren’t cultured enough to understand it.
One of the biggest concerns of this reviewer was that the audience was laughing too much. To me, their laughter was a clear sign that they were involved and that they understood what was funny and why. We sought to present a clear comedy that could communicate to all nationalities. In my opinion, we succeeded.
I think it is undeniable that culture affects an audience’s expectations. I’m not suggesting that Americans are incapable of understanding, I think there are some plays of ours that wouldn’t translate well to a Russian audience for various reasons. Some of our dramas might come off as comedies. I didn’t mean to suggest that it has to do with being “cultured” or “educated”. It has to do with what the society you grew up in expects from theatre. I agree with you completely in that it is annoying to say that because we are “American” we are somehow uncultured in theatre. That is not what I meant to suggest, simply that the way we view theatre is indisputably different than another country’s point of view.
I didn’t see the play either but I like the comments of FDostoevsky. Very thoughtful
I agree with you, the response was a little too public for my tastes. I do hope, however, that it doesn’t stop people from realizing that there is still value in the company (at least from what I’ve seen so far) and that I’m guessing that it was one person, not the entire group of actors, that had a say in the writing.
Professionalism is the key. Ms Bell could have been much more scathing (I’m sure I would have). She pointed out, with detailed examples, the things that did not work, giving her honest opinion in a respectful, professional tone. Theatre being so closely tied to emotion, and requiring so much investment from its practitioners, I can relate to being upset by a bad review. If only we could remove our ego from the equation, take what is said, and try to learn from it. Has this had an effect on my opinion of Utah Shakespeare in the Park, or my likely hood to see one of their shows in the future, or recommend my friends go see one? Yes. Yes indeed it has.
Utah Shakespeare in the Park has posted an apology to Mrs. Bell and others we offended. Please visit our blog to read to post.
utahshakespeareinthepark.wordpress.com