Uncle Vanya, Orange Tree Theatre Review

James Lance in Uncle Vanya. Photo by Manuel Harlan

Written by Eleanor for Theatre and Tonic.

*Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in return for an honest review

Content warning: This production contains references to alcohol abuse, depression, suicide and grief. It also contains a firearm.

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Uncle Vanya is a play by Russian writer Anton Chekhov. It was first published in 1897 and premiered in Moscow in 1899. It has been adapted into various forms over the years, including film and stage adaptations around the world. In the UK, productions have been regularly staged since the 1950s, with notable retellings also seen in the USA from the same era onwards. In 2020, the play had a shortened run at London's Harold Pinter Theatre and an acclaimed one-man stage adaptation, featuring Andrew Scott, is currently accessible through National Theatre Live showings. There was also an off-Broadway production in 2023 with a full Broadway production opening later this year. This all goes to show how popular and influential the work has remained to this day. 

The story follows Ivan Voynitsky, known as Vanya (James Lance), and his niece Sonya (Madeleine Grey) as they live peacefully on their rural estate in Russia in 1897. But this tranquillity is short lived following a visit from Sonya’s father, Professor Serebryakov (William Chubb), and his young wife Elena (Lily Sacofsky). In tow is local doctor, and friend of Vanya, Mikail (Andrew Richardson). As both Vanya and Mikail fall for Elena, with Sonya simultaneously falling in love with Mikail, tensions grow to a boiling point as the Professor considers what to do with Vanya’s estate. The play explores ideas of disillusionment and boredom as people grow old and the impact of unrequited love. It is a very emotive and at times dramatic, drawing you into the lives of this small group of characters. 

Despite these multiple adaptations, this was my first time seeing Uncle Vanya in any iteration. But I was very excited to visit the Orange Tree Theatre and to see how Director Sir Trevor Nunn (previous artistic director for the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre and director of 1981’s Cats and 1985’s Les Misérables) would adapt the piece, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was drawn from melancholy to mirth from scene to scene and really came to care for each character and their ultimate happiness. The plot is captivating and came away genuinely moved by this production. 

Madeleine Gray (Sonya) and James Lance (Vanya) in Uncle Vanya. Photo by Manuel Harlan

James Lance delivered a memorable portrayal of Vanya. Every emotion expressed felt very truthful, and I particularly enjoyed the humour he brought to this complex character. Madeleine Grey equally shines as Sonya, showing off her remarkable depth and emotional range. I initially underestimated this character, but Madeleine drew me in with her believable and compelling performance and by the end was my favourite character. Other standout performances came from Lily Sacofsky as Elena and Andrew Richardson as Mikail. I particularly enjoyed a shared scene with Lily and Madeleine where both were able to switch between varying emotions so effortlessly. The cast was rounded off with brilliant performances from Juliet Garricks as housekeeper Marina, David Ahmad as Ilya, and Susan Tracy as Vanya's mother Maria. 

Some sections I particularly enjoyed were the drunk scenes with Vanya and Mikail where they would sing and dance, which was very entertaining and so funny, and the exciting climax within the second half. There were also a lot of enjoyable moments where the older characters, Vanya and the Professor, would discuss their own mortality quite flippantly and Vanya in particular would reflect on his life with humorous results. I also appreciated how Ilya would pick up a guitar and softly start to play, adding a musical background to this realistic piece (which usually is only framed by the sounds of birds or a ticking clock.) But I must and admit the final few scenes of the piece felt quite slow and lacking direction. There is one moment in particular where each character repeats the same line, which I believe was meant to be poignant but remained simply reparative. There were also moments where characters expressed their emotions and I couldn’t help but be remined of the age gap between them, which sometimes caused distraction. 

Overall, Uncle Vanya continues to captivate audiences worldwide and this adaptation proved to me why this material remains popular.  I really enjoyed how Sir Trevor Nunn’s adaptation conveyed the themes of disillusionment and unrequited love, which drew me into the lives of the characters. Madeleine Grey in particular gave a standout performance and I loved how the cast as a whole leaned into the comedy of the piece. While the production had its highlights, it also faced challenges in pacing and direction towards the end. Nonetheless, I very much enjoyed this play and would now only wish to see it on a larger stage. 

Uncle Vanya is playing at Orange Tree Theatre until the 13th April 2024. 

★★★★