Review: UNCLE VANYA at Kansas City Actors Theatre

The opening night performance of Kansas City Actors’ Theatre production of Antov Checkov’s UNCLE VANYA ended with an enthusiastic standing ovation on City Stage in the lower level of Union Station.  UNCLE VANYA as performed is a modern translation of Anton Checkov’s 1899 classic musing on family and relationships. Some audiences see the show as comic.  Others see it as tragic.  This production is solid based on its reception and an excellent cast.

The original production of UNCLE VANYA in 1899 Moscow Russia was directed by the great Russian actor and teacher Konstantin Stanislavski.  Stanislavski also assumed the pivotal role of Dr. Astrov.  We remember Stanislavski as the original proponent of “Method Acting.”  UNCLE VANYA has appeared in dozens of iterations since the original production including eleven times on Broadway stages beginning in 1924.  The most recent production was in 2024.

The characters of Uncle Vanya, Sonya, Elena, and Dr. Astrov have been compared to leading roles in King Lear.  They represent pinnacle challenges for top actors in their creative primes.

The play is set in a rural Dacha in northeastern Ukraine in the waning days of the Russian monarchy near the turn of the twentieth century.  Outside of the Russian Aristocracy, the leading citizens in Russia are the intelligentsia.  

Uncle Vanya (Scott Cordes) is the middle-aged son of the family’s long departed patriarch.  He had remained on the estate to run the family’s business.  The outstanding-most family members are Vanya’s deceased sister, her husband, and their daughter.

Vanya’s deceased sister had married an intellectual.  Professor Serebryakov (Victor Raider-Wexler), now aging, is a prominent art expert.  Vanya had long since passed his ownership interest in the estate to the sister.  Vanya’s niece Sonya (Hillary Clemens) is now the estate’s owner and has chosen to remain with her Uncle Vanya.    

Serebryakov has remarried.  Elena (Chioma Anyanwu), the second wife is a very attractive woman much younger than Serebryakov.  Elena’s beauty has attracted both Uncle Vanya and a local Doctor named Astrov (Jerry Manan).

The year 1899 marks an important point in the industrial revolution in eastern Europe.  Dr. Astrov has been tracking the deforestation in Russia.  He is concerned that forest decimation is creating a crisis from which the planet cannot recover.  Checkov’s concern over deforestation may be among the first worries expressed over what would later become climate change.    

Elena is bored with country life and with her husband but does not seem interested in having an affair.  The stepdaughter Sonya is, however, interested in the Doctor. Elena agrees to approach him (the Doctor) as an intermediary for Sonya.

Astrov misunderstands.  He takes Elena’s awkward approach to mean she is interested in him. Astrov kisses Elena passionately to her wide-eyed surprise at just the moment that Uncle Vanya happens on the scene. Vanya also misunderstands.   

Meanwhile, we haven’t seen much of the Professor except at much delayed mealtimes.  The income from his writings has dwindled and he is ruminating about how he and Elena can retire comfortably.  Serebryakov has previously benefited from the profits earned by his first wife’s estate. He is concerned that these two income streams may not be enough to keep him in the style to which he would like to become accustomed. 

The result of the professor’s ruminations is a scheme to sell the Dacha, invest the proceeds, and purchase a summer home in Finland. He has developed this plan in isolation from the other stakeholders.  There is an understandable explosion at his dinnertime announcement. 

Vanya believes he has wasted his life to satisfy family obligations. Sonya has been happy on the estate, but longs to be noticed by Astrov. Elena is dissatisfied with her marriage to Serebyakov. Serebryakov is concerned about his retirement income. Astrov would like to be noticed by Elena and wishes someone other than himself would notice an impending planetary disaster.

If everybody wasn’t so dissatisfied with their lives, this play could almost be a Comedy of Manners from an earlier Elizabethan period.

UNCLE VANYA is directed by Matt Schwader. The setting by John Roha is minimalist. Mary Louise Robinson has composed original music for the production. Anton Checkov is considered among the greatest of Russian playwrights even though his output was limited to only four plays.

UNCLE VANYA continues at the City Stage until August 24. Tickets are available online at www.kcactors.org or by telephone at 816.361.5228.