Weirdos, Idiots, and Vodka

Allie Bugajski, Allie and the After Party

American Players Theatre Presents UNCLE VANYA Review - Weirdos, Idiots, and Vodka

TLDR: Taking a lighter tone than perhaps traditionally done with Chekhov’s works, this new translation by APT company member, Nate Burger, creates a different lens to view Uncle Vanya in. Instead of gray, stoic, and depressing, we’re treated to more character introspection and realizing their eccentricities rather than succumbing to hopelessness.

We’re All Just A Bunch of Weirdos and Idiots

Looking at the cozy interior stretching before us with wood paneling, a teapot warming, and trees rustling in the background, we feel like we could be in the middle of the countryside. But all is not as peaceful and content as the set feels.

An out of place, modern phrase that seems strange for a Chekhov play, is uttered - “weirdo”. There are many words that can be universally translated, like love, war, and peace, for example. In fact, I’m sure there’s probably variations of “idiot” in every language as well. But I'm curious if there's a direct translation for “weirdo” from Russian.

In this new translation of Uncle Vanya by APT company member Nate Burger, we’re thrown into a world where everyone slowly realizes they may in fact just be a weirdo. Everyone has their own beliefs, wants, and desires that impact their actions. So while nothing “happens” plotwise to this family in their country home, we see lots of introspection as they try to figure out the best way forward while the world is changing around them.

Seeing Through A Different Lens

Continuing American Players’ trend of putting a different lens and focus on older works, this production of Uncle Vanya seems brighter, both in design and tone.

The utterer of the initial “weirdo” is Casey Hoekstra as Doctor Astrov. While he seems to have the most reason for a pessimistic outlook on life as one surrounded by death and poor health most of the time, when he speaks about his love of nature and the power humans can hold over it, we feel a glow. He looks off into the distance as he speaks passionately about the changes he can make to see life grow - not eating meat and planting new trees. It makes him a “weirdo” for his time, unless he finds others who relate to that same feelings.

Marcus Truschinski as Vanya comes out looking like he's just woken up from a deep sleep and has no idea what year it is, bottle of vodka in hand. He’s recovering from his realization that the man he's idolized for so long is no smarter than himself. Every hope he had for the future is dashed and he must reckon with this newfound realization.

When Brian Mani as Professor Serebryakov visits the estate with his second wife, he throws the entire family out of whack. He plays the idealized man who has risen in his position without any real credentials coming in with an idea that doesn't really help anybody at all, but doesn't understand why no one else loves it. He comes across not as conniving or self-centered, but more so out of touch.

And Tracie Lane plays Yelena as brightly optimistic, trying to find meaning for her life - more ingénue than gold digger or opportunist. She tries to make herself fit into what will be their new life in the country. Opposite her is Maggie Cramer as Sonya, the daughter of the professor who manages the estate while also trying to keep the peace in the house.