This adaptation of Chekhov is definitely different (from the ones I've seen on stage) and yes, it seems less Russian and more British, but all the characters are vivid and sharp, understandable if not necessarily sympathetic, and Chekhov's message about provincial lives lived in quiet desperation, with Vanya and Sonya and Astrov especially trying to figure out the meaning of life, is poignant and heartbreaking. I thought the set was beautiful and the acting was terrific, especially from Toby Jones as Uncle Vanya, but really across the board. I also really enjoyed seeing a Yelena who seemed like a real person, with desires and dreams of her own, just as miserable as anyone else, and not the shallow, pretty doll that she usually is. The performance also seemed to take on deeper meaning against the backdrop of the pandemic, while we were all bored, like the characters, and wondering about the meaning of life, like the characters. Chekhov never goes out of style.
Review of Uncle Vanya
