![]() ![]() "Nobody quite walks the tightrope between comedy and tragedy with the aplomb of Chekhov… in McPherson's version, more than any others I've seen, the women get to deliver the emotional gut-punches that balance the humour. "Succeeds resoundingly in making the turn-of-the-20th-century cares of the original resonate today… the contemporary relevance is startling." - The Arts Desk The play portrays the visit of an elderly Professor and his glamorous, much younger second wife, Elena, to the rural estate that supports their urban. "McPherson's new adaptation feels almost impossibly contemporary in the way it packs in so much lust, wit, rage and regret." - The Times It is radical and revelatory without ever being gimmicky or insensitive… McPherson pulls off a feat of magical reinvention, and allows us to see the play anew." - WhatsOnStage "As accessible as a TV drama, without ever betraying the great, melancholy, insightful soul that has made the play last for as long as it has. "A Vanya for our times." - Evening Standard Every character is fully realised, including the ancillary roles that bring more than comic relief. McPherson's script has a stripped, vivid simplicity which quickens the pace of the drama. It returns us to the great, mournful spirit of Chekhov's tale about unrequited love, ageing and disappointment in middle-age, while giving it a sleeker, modern beat. does not radically reinvent or revolutionise Chekov's 19th-century story. ![]()
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