UNCLE VANYA. To 18 June.
Oxford
UNCLE VANYA
by Anton Chekhov
Maly Drama Theatre of St Petersburg
Oxford Playhouse 14-18 June 2005 7.30pm
Runs 3hrs One interval
TICKETS: 01865 305305
Review: Timothy Ramsden 10 June at Warwick Arts Centre
Magnificent production from a top-class theatre company. Complete with English surtitles this Russian production is not to be missed.It goes without saying the magnificent Maly's production is beautifully played throughout, all the characters absolutely inhabited in freshly thought performances. But so piercingly good is Lev Dodin's direction it's possible to trace its quality simply through the use of set, lighting and props.
It's a production which catches the comedy and poignancy of human life. Elena Kalinina's Sonya is joyful, spreading her arms to the world. Such a young person, on a lonely farm, will ache for love of the handsome Doctor who visits even if he does drink and veers between morbidity and the desperation of drunken laughter. So we follow a wine bottle in the second act, set on a dark and stormy night, with rain dripping audibly and visibly down the windowed door.
Astrov drinks automatically, only looking at the bottle after tasting the wine. Then Sonya snatches it from him, to restrain his habit. Meanwhile, in a production that clearly traces the mending of a rift between Sonya and her father's beautiful new bride Elena, a trained pianist. The scene ends with the women hoping to enjoy Elena's playing. She practises silently on the table while Sonya goes to ask her gouty old husband (Elena has carefully wrapped then massaged his feet) for permission to play.
Elena's dance at the first scene's happy end was cut off when Serebryakov appeared with a tray full of his medicines. When permission to play is denied, Elena drains wine from Astrov's glass, pouring some, in childish petulance, over the tray before knocking down her husband's medicines. Her rebellion lasts a moment, then she's on her knees reassembling everything, drying things out. But as she makes off into the rain, it's Sonya, the practical organiser, who takes the tray out.
Dodin extends Chekhov's comic device of an embarrassing interruption. Vanya, a strongly-built, bearded figure in Sergey Kuryshev's performance, trips out to bring the roses he's cut for Elena, expressing his unreciprocated love. He returns, holding them out, to find Elena and Astrov kissing. The roses stay at arms'-length, dripping with the water in which Vanya's lovingly kept them fresh.
They become a shield behind which he hides his embarrassment, an image mirrored later when Serebryakov, who has walked in on Astrov and his wife mid-embrace, leaves. Astrov hides behind his hat as the prof. says his farewells.
Sonya's practicality is clear early on she says Vanya dreams while the hay rots. Reality is reinforced by 3 huge hay bales overhead. As the last scene's evening glow departs with the visitors, this upper storey descends to surround and imprison Vanya and Sonya. Yet a warm glow illumines them again, as they work on. And Sonya's final speech about finding rest is neither requiem nor lullaby, but a bitter, defiant cry. It's a resonant sound and an indelible image at the culmination of this terrific production.
Professor Serebryakov: Igor Ivanov
Elena: Ksenia Rappoport
Sonya: Elena Kalinina
Madame Voinitskaya: Tatiana Schuko
Ivan Voinitskiy: Sergey Kuryshev
Doctor Astrov: Petr Semak
Ilya Telegin: Alexandr Zavialov
Marina: Nina Semenova
Servant: Vitaly Pichik
Director: Lev Dodin
Designer: David Borovsky
Lighting: Ekateerina Dorofeeva, Vitaliy Skorodumov
Sound: Vladimir Troyan
Costumes: Irina Tsvetkova, Maria Fomina
2005-06-13 09:08:53