'Vanya' review — Andrew Scott captivates in solo Chekhov adaptation
Read our review of Vanya off Broadway, a one-person adaptation of Anton Chekhov's classic drama Uncle Vanya starring Emmy Award nominee Andrew Scott.
From the moment Andrew Scott steps onstage for Vanya, a solo adaptation of Anton Chekhov's classic drama, he commands the utmost attention. Perhaps that's a given: I'm certain the audience is largely composed of fans eager to look at Fleabag's Hot Priest or Sherlock's Moriarty for an uninterrupted 100 minutes. That's as good a reason as any, because to watch Scott in Vanya is to experience his top-tier acting talents at full force. To do so live, in as intimate a theatre as the Lucille Lortel, is a rare and unforgettable privilege.
He plays nine different characters in the show, seamlessly switching between each with a vocal shift or the donning of an accessory, like sunglasses (for the shamelessly eccentric titular character, properly named Ivan) or a scarf (for Ivan's brother-in-law, Alexander). He plays all sides of the conversations in which these characters, the residents and guests of a remote property in the country, meditate on the various sources of disillusionment and disappointment with their lives, much of which comes from unrequited love for another character.
As Alexander's younger wife Helena, the object of much of that love, Scott is at his most achingly tender, while he's funniest when playing up Alexander's pompousness. It is always clear when Scott changes characters, though those with no knowledge of Chekhov's play might want to brush up before the show or risk confusion about who each character is.
Simon Stephen's adaptation plays up every possible bit of comedy in Vanya — an approach that could make the play hokey in the hands of a less skilled actor — but as the show progresses, the laughs get sparser and more hesitant as the characters reach their breaking points and, perhaps, so does the performer. By the time Scott, as Ivan's innocent niece Sonia, delivers the pensive final monologue, it's as if he's actually stripped all nine characters away and is simply thinking out loud to us.
Vanya summary
Anton Chekhov's Uncle Vanya, published in 1897, is set on a rural estate, where the characters all wrestle with unhappiness in their lives brought about by boredom, financial trouble, unrequited love, and more.
In this Vanya, adapted by Simon Stephens and directed by Sam Yates, Scott performs nine roles. Some names have been changed from Chekhov's original; the program lists each character and their role in the story as a brief guide for audiences.
What to expect at Vanya
Whereas Chekhov's play is set at in the Russian countryside, this Vanya could take place just about anywhere. Rosanna Vize's design is all neutral colors and minimal decoration, which suggest not a sense of place but of feeling. That feeling is isolation, giving Vanya the vibe of a 2020 period piece. Scott performs with the abandon of someone dancing around their own living room, emboldened by the knowledge that no one is around to watch.
Of course, we are watching — a mirror on the back wall emphasizes that fact — and Scott's character makes clear he knows this from the start, when he switches off the theatre's lights with a conspiratorial look to the audience. Interpretations surely vary, but I viewed Vanya as a show in which Scott plays a lonely man seeking respite in these Chekhov characters struggling with their own loneliness, with the audience merely another figment of his imagination, a product of a mind desperate for connection.
What audiences are saying about Vanya
Vanya has a 93% audience approval rating on the review aggregator Show-Score, with theatregoers raving about Scott's masterful performance.
- "This is one of the best plays I've ever seen in my entire life and I've seen quite a lot [...] I was even forgetting at most parts that all of the actors were played by one person, that's how realistic Andrew Scott made each one of them feel." - Show-Score user Svetlana Frolova
- "With an incredible use of speech, body language, and prop/costume utilisation he was able to beautifully capture several different characters within moments. I would see this show again in an instant and recommend it to anyone who is curious. It would serve as a brilliant introduction to Chekhov to the budding theatre enjoyer." - Show-Score user James Anthony
- "You know that moment where you realize how much of a privilege to see something? Like staring at the Northern Lights? That's seeing Andrew Scott in Vanya." - Show-Score user Emily Fullhardt
- "Andrew Scott is tremendous [...] Occasionally, though, it's difficult to keep track of which character he's playing at a particular time. While having one actor play all roles provides a great acting challenge, it comes at the expense of a fully cohesive story. In addition, scenes where two characters are physically intimate come across awkwardly when one person is playing both characters." - Show-Score user MaxD
Read more audience reviews of Vanya on Show-Score.
Who should see Vanya
- Andrew Scott fans who love his onscreen performances — particularly in the poignant Fleabag and All of Us Strangers — won't want to miss him command the stage.
- Chekhov enthusiasts will surely be keen to see this solo take on his celebrated play, but even those who don't gravitate to his work (I speak as one such person) might enjoy this adaptation more than traditional productions. It's shorter, it's more overtly comical, and Scott's character shifts make for a constant flow of onstage action.
- Fans of confessional one-person shows and even stand-up routines, which infuse the performer's life experiences with humor, will enjoy this approach to Vanya. Scott often speaks to the audience, letting us in on the characters' thoughts and feelings as though they were his own.
Learn more about Vanya off Broadway
Andrew Scott is delivering a sensational performance that wholly reimagines one of the most celebrated plays of all time.
Photo credit: Andrew Scott in Vanya off Broadway. (Photos by Julieta Cervantes)
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