Ruth Leon recommends… Uncle Vanya with Toby Jones… Vanya with Andrew Scott

 Chekhov

Click here for Toby Jones
Click here for Andrew Scott

There have been many productions of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya since its premiere at the Moscow Art Theatre  in 1899. Here are two recent versions for you to compare and contrast.

The first link is a fine West End version starring Toby Jones and directed by Ian Rickson with an all-star cast in a traditional setting.

This second link is very unusual. It’s a solo from the actor-du-jour Andrew Scott  who seems to be in everything right now. This has had a sold-out run in the West End where it has received over-the-top reviews.

The story is, of course, the same in both versions although the Andrew Scott solo has been radically adapted and modernised. Andrew Scott brings Checkhov’s  multiple characters to life in this new version by Simon Stephens. It was filmed live during its sold-out run in London’s West End.

Hopes, dreams, and regrets are thrust into sharp focus in this one-man adaptation which explores the complexities of human emotions. Directed by Sam Yates and designed by Rosanna Vize.

Uncle Vanya and his niece, Sonya, are stuck in a cycle, maintaining their family’s crumbling estate. Their world is turned upside down when Sonya’s father shows up with a new wife – forcing the family to look at long-hidden truths and hope for a different future.

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