Review: Shakespeare Theatre Company Offers Refreshingly Contemporary Uncle Vanya

Anton Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya brilliantly captures life’s follies, disappointments, and the complex human relationships that drive us mad with love and longing. Shakespeare Theatre Company’s current staging (a co-production with Berkeley Repertory Theatre, where it performed last year) does so in a way that feels surprisingly contemporary.

Though you are viewing characters Chekhov created more than a century ago, this fresh adaptation by Conor McPherson, under the innovative direction of Simon Godwin, takes a 19th-century narrative and gives it a spirited modern twist that feels both timeless and urgent.

The story takes place on a rural Russian estate in 1900 and peeks into the chaotic descent of a family grappling with unsaid words and unfulfilled dreams. When pompous professor Aleksándr Serébryakov (played with splendid disdain by Tom Nelis) and his stunningly young wife, Eléna Andréevna (the mesmerizing Ito Aghayere) return after years of living in the city off the income provided by the estate, it sends shockwaves through the household.

Vanya (the always charismatic Hugh Bonneville), burdened by toil and thwarted affection, finds his world unraveling amidst the arrival of these two unwelcome catalysts. Tensions brew, confessions flow alongside vodka, and we witness a battle not just for love, but for meaning in a seemingly futile existence.

Bonneville, the Emmy-nominated star of Downton Abbey, is dealing with a whole different estate than his TV fans are used to. Equal parts charisma and desperation, his Vanya is acutely aware of the absurdity of his predicament, oscillating between comedic self-pity and fiery rage as he wrestles with the intrusion of the professor and the magnetism of Eléna. In his passionate outbursts, the audience both laughs and aches alongside him, etching him in our hearts.

As local doctor Mikhaíl Ástrov, John Benjamin Hickey is charmingly self-absorbed. Serving as both friend and foil to Vanya, Hickey’s performance highlights the good doctor’s conflicts, fluctuating between desire and detachment.

Aghayere’s portrayal of Eléna brings a captivating complexity to the role, capturing the essence of youth entangled in the throes of discontent, with a grace that commands attention. She shows a quiet strength while radiating an allure that mentally ensnares both Vanya and Ástrov—resulting in hurt feelings and damaged friendship.

Melanie Field’s Sonya is the emotional anchor of the family drama and is tasked with one of the most poignant monologues of the play, one she delivers flawlessly. As Vanya’s heartbroken yet steadfast niece, Sonya navigates her unrequited feelings for Ástrov and captures the beautifully nuanced struggle of a woman who, though used to being overlooked, serves from an endless well of strength and care.

The rest of the cast is stellar. Nancy Robinette adds warmth and humor as the nurturing Nana, Craig Wallace provides comic relief as the loyal “Waffles,” and Sharon Lockwood is a sturdy emotional presence as Grandmaman.

Godwin’s decision to keep the characters’ accents rooted in American English grounds the narrative in an accessibility that reinforces its relevance. Even before the show starts, he instructs the actors to walk around the stage and converse with the audience. Hickey even rides up on a bicycle, looking as if he’s late for the show. This nicely invites the audience into the world of the estate.

Robert Brill’s scenic design offers a wonderous look at this crumbling estate, richly layered with detail and wear that reveals the history of the characters whose lives we visit. Susan Hilferty and Heather C. Freedman’s costumes add period authenticity, while Jen Schriever’s lighting design artfully shifts moods, transitioning between moments of humor and despair.

Uncle Vanya, which continues at Shakespeare Theatre Company through April 20, resonates on both personal and philosophical levels. As Vanya and his family navigate their entangled hearts and faded dreams, we are left to ponder our own desires and disappointments in a world that rarely aligns with our expectations.