Reviews: Uncle Vanya at H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program
Written by Sophia Christiano of Langley High School
Time: life and love's greatest foe. It is the one thing that no one can ever seem to get enough of. Burdened with passion and regret, this family of eccentric Russian elites must come to reconcile with their own wasted potential and unfulfilled lives. Carefully highlighting characters desperately trying to escape their wearisome lives, H-B Woodlawn Secondary fearlessly races against the all-consuming clock in their rendition of a Chekhov classic, Uncle Vanya.
Anton Chekhov's original "Uncle Vanya," first staged in 1899 at the Moscow Art Theater, takes a more modern turn in its 2012 adaptation by Annie Baker. The tumultuous story follows Vanya, a sarcastic, regretful man reeling with dissatisfaction with his lonely life, and his gentle but resilient niece, Sonya, as they manage a rural estate for Professor Serebryakov and his young wife Yelena. However, when the Professor and his young bride come to visit their estate, Vanya falls in love with Yelena while Sonya falls in love with a mysterious but unattainable Dr. Astrov, a man who is also drawn to Yelena. In this explosive story, Uncle Vanya and his young niece must balance love, obligation, and ultimately choose whether to remain stuck in their monotonous lives or claw for the wasted time that always seems to be just out of reach.
The commanding success of HB Woodlawn's elegant production was the effective navigation of their intimate setting. While their stage was small, each member of the nine-person cast expertly delivered compelling performances that only heightened the immersive experience, filling the space with the tense, yet effortless connection between each uniquely dynamic character.
Leading this intricate production was Greta Brown as Vanya and Kate Gorman as Yelena. Brown effectively created a balance between Vanya's sarcastic hilarity and the jagged edges of his forbidden love, merging the two into an enrapturing, deeply conflicted character who embodied the struggle between duty and dreams. Gorman brought a transportative variation to this introspective story, not only masterfully balancing the allure of Yelena's youth and beauty with her underlying sorrow, but also readily taking on the role of the catalyst for all the deep-seated desires of any who fall for her mysterious, disruptive nature.
A further triumph was Daniel Gates as the keen but eccentric Dr. Astrov. Gates's impressive transition from the absurdity of his vivacious comedic physicality to a much more cynical, pining shell of his animated self was masterfully done and only supplemented by his compelling relationship with Sonya, portrayed by Laurel LaGarde. LaGarde brought a subtle but palpable charisma to the story, as her portrayal of the quiet but enduring perseverance of Sonya and her girlish love for Astrov remained a driving force within the play.
Possibly the most impressive element of HB Woodlawn's production was the directing team made up entirely of students, namely Charlotte Keshap and Alice Aramendia. Keshap details her journey selecting a show that investigated complex interpersonal relationships and translating her passion for this enrapturing story into every step of the directing process. The devotion behind this production poured out of every scene and amplified the ambience of the buzzing Russian countryside.
HB Woodlawn's production of "Uncle Vanya" skillfully blended a classic Checkov piece with entertaining comedy, exploring the line between unresolved regret over wasted time and how change may not be as far away as it appears if only someone has enough courage to grab it.
Written by Catalina Coronado of Langley High School
When your days are filled with nothing but eating, drinking, and sleeping, it would surprise no one should you become depressed. At least, that's what Vanya thinks. H-B Woodlawn's production of Uncle Vanya tells a melancholy tale from the Russian countryside that is filled with complicated feelings and unexpected love.
In a modern adaption translated by Annie Baker, Anton Chekhov's Uncle Vanya depicts the mundane life of a family that has grown sick of each other. Vanya is depressed, his brother-in-law Alexander is dying, and stepmother and stepdaughter are in love with the same man. Tension fills the house that they all share, until things finally come to a head when Alexander makes a decision that will affect them all. It's a story filled with messy characters and complicated webs of love.
Uncle Vanya is a combination of tragedy and comedy, and the cast was able to find the perfect balance between the juxtaposition of the two. Daniel Gates, portraying Astrov, had the art of playing drunk down pat. With a tie as a headband, stumbling around while slurring speech, Gates accurately captured the energy of a man drinking away his despair in the long hours of the night. In addition, the choice to cast a woman as the titular character, Vanya, added a layer of depth to the already complex relationships. Vanya is pining after the one woman he can't have, his brother-in-law's new wife, Yelena. Greta Brown's performance emphasized Vanya's desperate yearning for someone he will never truly obtain.
Kate Gorman and Laurel LaGarde, as Yelena and Sonya respectively, highlighted that even in an environment as toxic as theirs was, true familial love can shine through. Gorman and LaGarde, portraying step-mother and step-daughter, brought forth a wholesome light that shone through the tense energy that other characters brought.
Coupled with the performance space of the black box, the minimal set design created an intimate space that allowed the actors to shine without distraction. Impressively, this production was entirely student-run, from the directing to the acting. The student director and assistant director effectively used their space to tell their story, leaving no part of available ground unused.
H-B Woodlawn's Uncle Vanya encourages the audience to reflect on themselves, and remember to appreciate the small things in life.