UNCLE VANYA. To 10 February.

London

UNCLE VANYA
by Anton Chekhov translated by Vlada Chernomordik adapted by David Mamet

Wilton’s Music Hall To 10 February 2007
Mon-Sat 7.30pm
Runs 2hr 20min One interval

TICKETS: 020 7702 2789
www.wiltons.org.uk/productions
Review: Timothy Ramsden 26 January

A much-seen play revived to little purpose.
Harrogate Theatre brought David Mamet’s versions of Chekhov to Britain almost 20 years ago, showing them as economical yet unlike the rapid-rattle fusillades of Mamet’s own plays. This was more surprising than it would be now, with experience of the American’s sympathetic film treatment of Terence Rattigan’s The Winslow Boy.

Meanwhile, cinema also brought Louis Malle’s 1994 Vanya on 42nd Street, recording New York theatre-director Andre Gregory’s Chekhov rehearsals. Though Gregory focused on process not presentation – there was no public performance in mind – Malle shows rehearsal chat and running of scenes smoothly turning into intimate, fully-felt playing of the Russian’s Scenes from Country Life.

Cut to 2007 and Hugh Fraser’s curious account of Mamet’s script at Wilton’s, the unrestored (yes, for want of money) Music Hall off East Smithfield and backing onto the once-notorious Cable Street. It’s a famously atmospheric space, which may be the reason for a touch of the “on 42nd Street” treatment. A low forestage is built out; behind, on the higher Wilton’s stage, furniture’s parked as in a scene-store. One minor character sits on a chair there till her entry. That apart, it’s unused.

The actors enter with self-conscious-sounding inconsequential talk, then move into a minimal set run-through of the play. This is petit Malle at best, and an uneasy hybrid between a simply-staged theatre production and a site-specific one using a non-theatre space and basic chairs and tables.

The reason behind it’s unclear. So alas, is much of the playing. Blame the direction when the better performances are also lacking. A bad, or miscast, actor can offer bad acting; when good actors flounder there’s trouble with the production.

Philip Voss seems stranded as the tetchy old professor, intellectual, self-absorbed and empty of self-awareness; neither ensemble awareness nor physical set is there to give space and resonance to the performance’s power. And Ronan Vibert’s lingering Astrov never grows into full-focus, despite latent force. Catherine Cusack’s Sonya (one of drama’s finest-drawn character) remains subdued, any impression relying on the actor’s own intelligence, while Colin Stinton’s Vanya is an effortful void at the heart of this under-whelming production.

Serebryakov: Philip Voss
Yelena: Rachael Stirling
Snya: Catherine Cusack
Voynitzkaya: Lucinda Curtis
Vanya: Colin Stinton
Astrov: Ronan Vibert
Telegin: Michael Gunn
Marina: Marlene Sidaway

Director: Hugh Fraser
Designer: Charlie Cridlan
Lighting: Nick Holdridge

2007-01-30 11:24:45