Goodman's impeccably acted 'Uncle Vanya' balances humor, pathos
It took a long time for Robert Falls to tackle “Uncle Vanya.” In fact, it took some 40 years before the director considered helming Anton Chekhov's play about unrequited love and unfulfilled lives.
Goodman Theatre's current production is worth the wait.
In a recent interview, Falls said as a younger man he didn't understand “Uncle Vanya,” a tale of regret and loss which is also a testament to perseverance and endurance.
At 63, he does. And how well he does is evident in his candid revival, which marks Falls' 30th anniversary as Goodman's artistic director.
Adapted by Pulitzer Prize winner Annie Baker (“The Flick”) from Margarita Shalina's Russian translation, Falls' deeply emotional, impeccably acted and at times heartily amusing production navigates the razor's edge where humor and pathos meet.
It also boasts a superb ensemble led by longtime Steppenwolf Theatre ensemble member Tim Hopper (in his Goodman debut), whose luminous performance in the titular role anchors a production that also features gripping work by Marton Csokas and Caroline Neff, both of them new to Goodman.
Hopper's beautifully realized Vanya is a discontented, disillusioned middle-aged man who has spent his life managing the rural estate owned by his late sister and her professor husband Serebryakov, whom Vanya once esteemed but now disdains.
An impressive example of fading gentility by set designer Todd Rosenthal, the cluttered interior of the deteriorating estate - with its water-damaged walls, peeling paint and battered, mismatched furniture - suggests a home vanishing before our eyes. That deterioration reflects the people who inhabit the home, including Vanya's melancholy friend Astrov (Csokas), a country doctor/philosopher and frequent visitor.
Their lives are withering away thanks to the stupor that descended upon the estate with the arrival of Vanya's brother-in-law, the retired, gout-ridden Serebryakov (David Darlow, a deliciously whiny academic), and his much younger second wife Yelena (a fabulously dimensional Kristen Bush).
Yelena captivates the estate's residents with her beauty and grace, while at the same time infecting them with her indolence. Vanya and Astrov pursue Yelena, while peacemaker Sonya (Caroline Neff) - Serebryakov's daughter and Vanya's niece - pines for Astrov.
Lethargy settles over the estate. Schedules are upended. Chores are neglected. Vodka is consumed. Confessions are made and declarations of love are rejected. Yet, while Chekhov's characters buckle under the strain of living, they never break.
And for that, they deserve commendation.
Rounding out the cast is Mary Ann Thebus, who offers comfort and comic relief as the devoted nanny Marina; the great Larry Neumann Jr. as the impoverished Waffles, who bears slights and insults with graceful stoicism; and Marilyn Dodds Frank as Maria, Vanya's mother, whose high opinion of Serebryakov never wavers.
Csokas delivers an intriguingly complex performance as Astrov - a man numbed by his work and sustained by his passion for nature. An up-and-comer whose time has come, Neff's deliberate, insightful performance reveals the quiet strength of Sonya, the youngest character and the one best equipped to survive disappointment.
Perfectly timed pauses characterize Falls' leisurely revival, which - at two hours and 40 minutes - takes the time it needs.
I appreciated Baker's airy, contemporary adaptation. But the combination of peasant-inspired costumes suggesting late 19th century Russia and props reflecting early to mid 20th century design made it difficult for me to discern the time period. Perhaps that's the point.
Regret, loss and perseverance are timeless after all.
“Uncle Vanya”
★ ★ ★ ½
Location: Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. (312) 443-3800 or
Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday; 8 p.m. Friday; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, through March 19.
Tickets: $20-$59
Running time: Two hours, 40 minutes with intermission
Parking: $22 with Goodman validation at the Government Self Park at Lake and Clark streets
Rating: For teens and older