Uncle Vanya. By Anton Chehov. Adapted by David Mamet from a literal translation by Vlada Chernomordik. Directed by Geoffrey Borny. Canberra Repertory Society. Theatre 3. Until May 14. canberrarep.org.au or 62571950.
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Geoffrey Borny's production of Uncle Vanya approaches a theatre classic with a sensible freshness. American playwright David Mamet's adaptation makes the characters sound like real people, even though the setting is rural Russia around the time of the play's first performance in 1899. This production thankfully retains the time and place, assisted by Andrew Kay's economical but evocative set, and allows the play to get on with its insights into the human condition.
Vanya (Sam Hannan-Morrow) and his niece Sonya (Yanina Clifton) run the country estate of Sonya's father, Professor Serebryakov (Jerry Hearn). The household also supports Vanya's aged and argumentative mother Mariya (Antonia Kitzel), the old nanny Marina (Alice Ferguson), at least one workman (Jonathan Pearson) and Telegin (Neil McLeod), dependent on the family because he has lost his own lands.
Why the local doctor Astrov (Jim Adamik) is hanging around in between medical calls is unclear until it is revealed that the professor has arrived along with his young second wife, Yelena (Lainie Hart). Astrov and Vanya, both middle-aged and unattached, are strongly attracted to her.
The ironies pile up. Neither Astrov nor Vanya are content with their lives despite being of use to society. Yelena is not happy in her marriage. "Plain" Sonya nurses an unrequited passion for the doctor. All comes to a head when the professor announces that he wishes to improve his financial position by selling the estate and investing the proceeds.
It is quite wonderful when the explosion from Hannan-Morrow's exasperated Vanya finally arrives, involving a gun and an erring aim. And that's a consequence of a slow and careful setting up of this climax by the production as well as by a strong ensemble.
Hannan-Morrow makes Vanya's sense of the injustice very plain. If the sale goes ahead, then what is to become of him and of Sonya and the others? And whose work has supported the professor in his academic city life and Yelena in her expensive dresses? And at what personal expense? Is the estate, which came from Sonya's mother, really the professor's to sell? It's a well paced and truthful performance.
As Yelena, Hart presents clearly a restless woman trapped in her own attractiveness, perceptive enough to see that it will come to an end but not able to accept Sonya's suggestion that some kind of work may be salvation.
Adamik's pragmatic Astrov might be very aware that the forests are shrinking and that humans are responsible but he's blind to the feelings of Sonya.
Clifton's Sonya is the lovely, idealistic centre of the play. Even if this Sonya were offered Yelena's dress budget she would plough it back into good works. She carries her disappointments with dignity and transforms in the final reflective moments of the play.
Nothing is in the end really resolved but much has been said that is alarmingly modern; about the environment, about social justice, about the unpredictability of the human heart. Along with much of the play's humour, the production recognises this. It would repay a visit to Theatre 3.
