Anton's Uncles

Dancing and singing are not elements you would usually associate with a Chekhov play but there are plenty of them in Theatre Movement Bazaar’s bizarre adaptation of Uncle Vanya. This surreal and entertaining production may not be faithful to Chekhov’s original but it offers a refreshing take on a literary classic.

Whilst it captures the essence of Uncle Vanya with its heady mix of love, lust, mortality and unfulfilled dreams, humour ensures that the despair which defines this play does not overwhelm the audience here. Well-choreographed comic dance routines and whimsical songs dispel the growing tension between characters and communicate Chekhov’s message in a unique and entertaining manner.

Of the nine characters that feature in Chekhov’s original play, only the men remain in this adaptation, with the addition of an omniscient stage manager who occasionally interrupts proceedings. For much of the play the professor’s beautiful wife—the catalyst for the men’s inner turmoil—is not represented in person but by a bright light that emanates from behind the audience. This all changes when the actors break the fourth wall. Dragging an unsuspecting female audience member onto the centre of the stage to assume the role of female temptress, they express their individual devotion to hilarious effect.

Fast-paced and physical, the actors effortlessly possess the stage and exude energy. But as the curtain closes, you can’t help but think that the comic gimmickry that defines Anton’s Uncles detracts from the psychological subtlety that makes Uncle Vanya so great.