Riffing on some of Anton Chekov's most time-tested themes, Christopher Durang proves in his hysterically funny and surprisingly affecting new romp, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, that whether you're in 19th Century Russia or 21st Century Pennsylvania, the human condition never changes. Vanya (Pierce) and Sonia (Nielsen) have never left the confines of their childhood home - a rambling farmhouse in Bucks County, PA - while having to witness the glamorous exploits of their sister, Masha (Weaver), a famous movie actress, from afar. A surprise visit from Masha and her 20-something boy toy, Spike (Magnussen), throws the normally quiet household int0 utter upheaval as its residents and visitors get swept up in an intoxicating mixture of lust, rivalry, regret, and the sudden possibility of escape. Only one thing is certain: no one will get out of this without looking absolutely ridiculous!
The real problem is how the different parts of the play connect to one another.... You begin to get the feeling that Durang, in modeling his structure on Chekhov, invested in the best luggage available and then packed it like someone with five minutes to get to the airport. Some of what comes out of the valise is gorgeous: thoughtful, quiet moments but also perfectly crafted comedy scenes that sustain their dizziness for improbably long stretches. Other elements-notably the borderline-offensive black cleaning lady, who's all sass and voodoo-make you think: Why did he bring that?...Like its Chekhovian characters, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike is assembled from mismatched parts and is desperate for affection, which it miraculously earns.
Hyde Pierce and Nielsen make the most of their monologues — his a fierce tirade about how Vanya preferred the life of his youth; hers a heartbreaking phone call setting up a date — and their timing is flawless. Hyde Pierce is a master of the slow burn, while Nielsen’s wild-eyed Sonia often looks as if her train of thought has a loose caboose.
2012 | Off-Broadway |
Lincoln Center Theater Production Off-Broadway |
2013 | Broadway |
Broadway Transfer Broadway |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2013 | BroadwayWorld Awards | Best Play | Christopher Durang |
2013 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Play | Christopher Durang |
2013 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance Award | Kristine Nielsen |
2013 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance Award | David Hyde Pierce |
2013 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Play | 0 |
2013 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Director of a Play | Nicholas Martin |
2013 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play | Kristine Nielsen |
2013 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding New Broadway Play | 0 |
2013 | Theatre World Awards | Theatre World Award | Shalita Grant |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Direction of a Play | Nicholas Martin |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play | Billy Magnussen |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play | David Hyde Pierce |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play | Shalita Grant |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play | Kristine Nielsen |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Joey Parnes |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Ron Simons |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Richard Jordan |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Lincoln Center Theater |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Play | McCarter Theatre Center |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Play | John Johnson |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Play | S.D. Wagner |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Cheryl Wiesenfeld |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Hugh Hysell |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Michael Palitz |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Barbara Manocherian |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Meredith Lynsey Schade |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Megan Savage |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Mary Cossette |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Play | ShadowCatcher Entertainment |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Radio Mouse Entertainment |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Mark S. Golub & David S. Golub |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Cricket Hooper Jiranek |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Richard Winkler |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Play | David Elliott |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Jamie deRoy |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Joshua Goodman |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Play | John O'Boyle |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Catherine Adler |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Pat Flicker Addiss |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Martin Platt |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Joan Raffe & Jhett Tolentino |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Larry Hirschhorn |
2013 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Christopher Durang |
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