Sydney Theatre Company and Goldman Sachs in association with Bell Shakespeare present
Uncle Vanya
by Anton Chekhov,
Adapted by Andrew Upton
On a dilapidated, remote farm Uncle Vanya and his niece Sonya have
worked slavishly to sustain an estate in decline. And so it has been for
years.
Now Professor Serebryakov and his beautiful young
wife, Yelena, have returned to visit. Adding to the chaos and
disruption are the constant visits of the charismatic Astrov. Lunch is
no longer served at lunch time - now it is procrastinated until dusk -
work is forgotten and the long, cool nights have become sleepless.
From this hotbed of disarray grow three consuming love affairs, each of
which is destined to wither in disappointment before it has reached
bloom.
It is in this climate of frustration and hopelessness
that the Professor chooses to unveil his shocking plan to sell the
estate. Faced with an uncertain future, Vanya is provoked into an act
of violence which is as humiliatingly unsuccessful as his attempts at
romance.
Gliding effortlessly between comedy and tragedy, this
treasured classic from Anton Chekhov lays bare the fruitlessness of
human endeavour with exceptional warmth, humour and insight.
Director Tamás Ascher
Set Designer Zsolt Khell
Costume Designer Gyorgyi Szakacs
Lighting Designer Nick Schlieper
Composer/Sound Designer Paul Charlier
Dramaturg Anna Lengyel
With John Bell, Cate Blanchett, Sandy Gore, Hayley McElhinney,
Anthony Phelan, Richard Roxburgh, Andrew Tighe, Jacki Weaver, Hugo
Weaving
Pre-season Briefing
Monday 25 October 6.15pm
Held at The Wharf
Night with the Actors
Monday 6 and 13 December 6.30pm
Post-show discussion with the cast and creative team
Previews
9 - 12 November 7.30pm
Season
13 November 2010 - 1 January 2011
2 Hours 45 Minutes, Including Interval
Venue: Sydney Theatre, Walsh Bay
