BWW Reviews: UNCLE JACK Distant Chekhov Relative

Uncle Jack

A Boston University New Play Initiative Production, Written and Directed by Michael Hammond; Scenic Designer, Courtney Nelson; Costume Designer, Nicole Angell; Lighting Designer, Paul Timmel; Sound Designer, Edward Young; Stage Manager, Greg Nash

CAST: Madeleine Lambert, Will Lyman, John Kooi, Michael Kaye, Timothy Spears, Nancy E. Carroll, Maria DeCotis

Performances through March 1 at Boston University Theatre's Lane-Comley Studio 210, 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA; Box Office 617-933-8600 or www.bu.edu/cfa/bcap

The Boston Center for American Performance (BCAP) and Boston Playwrights' Theatre (BPT) co-production of Michael Hammond's comedy Uncle Jack concludes this weekend at Boston University Theatre's Lane-Comley Studio 210, adjacent to the Huntington Theatre. A modern-day retelling of Chekhov's Uncle Vanya, the setting has been moved to the bucolic hills and forests of the Berkshires where the family is struggling to save their small summer theatre company and their home on the valuable tract of land upon which it is situated.

Uncle Jack echoes the themes of frustrated hopes and unrequited love from Chekhov's play, with nearly all of the characters being unhappy in their own way. There are laments about regrets and wasted lives and altogether a good deal of whining. There are also laughs to be had, mostly at the expense of some character or another's sadness, but overall, not quite enough. (One particular section of the audience found a good deal more humor in the play, breaking up quite consistently in the first act.) This is the first production of Hammond's first full-length play which he has been working on for over five years. He also serves as director and certainly knows where the comedy is intended in his script, but there are so many passages of long, mournful speeches that they tend to overpower the humor. Some judicious editing might be in order.

Hammond gets strong performances from John Kooi (Jack), Michael Kaye (Wolfe, the doctor), Will Lyman (Derek, the theatre director), and Madeleine Lambert (Elena, the object of all the male affection) in the major roles. Maria DeCotis (Sonya) brings an insecure innocence and a sweet singing voice, Timothy Spears (Tug) is comic relief, and Nancy E. Carroll (Clare) is the only rational one in the bunch. The evocative set is designed by Courtney Nelson, lighting design is by Paul Timmel, costumes by Nicole Angell, and sound by Edward Young. It is not necessary to be familiar with Uncle Vanya, but a visit to Wikipedia will be enlightening and inform your experience with Uncle Jack.

Photo credit: Kalman Zabarsky (John Kooi, Nancy E. Carroll)

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