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J. Tillman at the Mohawk - Giveaway
Show Preview: Brackett & Co., Real Estate
When a group of fantastic actors gets together, the expectations are high. St Idiot Collective’s roster reads like an all star team, with nearly every performer a theatre scene big-wig or rising star. While their talents were clearly visible in the collective’s first production, Vaudeville Vanya, on the whole the show was a misfire.
Vaudeville Vanya is an adaptation of Uncle Vanya – one of Anton Chekov’s most storied serio-comedies about educated narcissists trying desperately not to die of boredom in rural Russia. SIC augments Chekhov’s text with a series of playfully random breaks from the story – songs, faux boxing matches between young men and old ladies, polished dance numbers, puppets and more. These cleverly crafted departures from “reality” were the highlight of the show, culminating in a fantastic second act speech from Gabriel McIver – both brilliantly written and performed (further elaboration would ruin a significant surprise, so you’ll just have to take our word for it).
However, when the show returned to the original Vanya text, it became apparent that the breaks were created as an escape from what the company perceived as a boring script. It’s an easy trap to fall into, but that doesn’t make it any easier to watch. Chekhov’s plays live on because he expertly examines a fundamental truth about modern humanity – his characters, just like us, have one mission in life – they’re all fighting not to be bored, pointless and forgotten. The beauty, passion, and desperation in this fight is the bedrock of his genius, and can make for amazing theatre. However, if you ignore this fight – as happened in this presentation – and choose to play your characters simply as bored, depressed, and without hope, then your audience will also be bored, depressed, and hopeful for an earlier intermission.
Additionally, the production suffers from a number of “first choice” decisions – poorly investigated artistic choices that usually result in superficial presentation. Everyone in Vanya is obsessed with their loss of youth, but instead of exploring how age affects outlook and family dynamic, the company presents two bluntly formed groups of characters – twenty-somethings and “old people” (wobbly voice, cane, etc). Long stretches of unemotional dialogue were left exposed, while the few truly gripping moments were needlessly clobbered – “underscored” with cheesy pre-recorded music. Even the most seasoned of actors had moments where they looked unfocused and insecure onstage, leaving in their wake wandering scenes that varied from tedious to torturous. This is a directing problem. It seemed as if J. Ed Araiza read the text, hated it, randomly declared the production would be Vaudevillian, and then promptly ceased making any choices whatsoever once the clever adapted bits had been taken care of.
That aside, the talent of the performers managed to shine through. Lee Eddy, as Madame V (the old mother) is somehow hysterical despite having maybe a dozen lines; Adriene Mishler, as Sonya (the young daughter) was truthful throughout with a few incredibly compelling scenes – especially when playing off Brent Werzner’s Astrov (Sonya’s desired lover). Werzner was another actor who, while he may have had difficulty stringing them together, found moments to fill his character with light – very watchable. Adam Sultan is highly comical in his understatement and wrote some great original music. Jason Newman is transformed as Serebriakov, the old professor, creating an old man we can empathize with (even though the character is probably three times his age).
St Idiot Collective is a company with enormous, enormous potential. While there was a lot in this production that we obviously weren’t fond of, there is a talent here that’s truly exciting. Vanya aside, we’ll certainly be at their next show.
Vaudeville Vanya
Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8pm
St Idiot Collective at Arts On Real
$10 - $25
Tickets
Photo by Chris Shea
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too true. too true. good review. good review.
too true. too true. good review. good review.