BWW Reviews: UNCLE VANYA, St James Theatre, October 13 2014

Uncle Vanya follows on from Anya Reiss' two previous modernisations of Anton Chekhov's Three Sisters and The Seagull, both of which were performed at Southwark Playhouse. This third attempt to bring Chekhov into the 21st century is a fair effort thanks to strong performances from the cast.

Reiss has certainly emphasised the comedic value of the play, with Joe Dixon's Astrov and John Hannah's Vanya providing the laughs, that is until the more serious and explosive second act. Speed cameras, the internet, mobile phones and iPads are all mentioned freely, firmly placing the action in modern day England although the original Russian names are kept. Dixon's doctor is hilarious from the off, frantically searching for his heartbeat with a stethoscope and finally able to relax when he finds it - though his character does have some sombre moments and we see how lonely he is as he sits and reflects on his disappointing life.

Amanda Hale as the lovesick Sonya offers a heart-breaking and poignant portrayal of a young woman whose love for Dr Astrov goes unnoticed and eventually we discover that her feelings are not reciprocated. The scenes Hale shares with Yelena (played by Rebecca Night) are emotive and it is difficult not to feel sympathy for these two emotionally vulnerable women, and in particular the self-deprecating Sonya who feels she is too ugly for Astrov. John Hannah as Vanya is utterly depressed in his role on the farm, and he certainly cuts a tragic figure, until eventually his anger boils over and he attacks his brother-in-law Serebryakov (Jack Shepherd) after he announces his plans to sell the farm.

Fans of Chekhov may object to this modernisation but for those who are willing to take a chance on it, director Russell Bolam and Reiss manage to make the story believable in a modern setting, thanks in part to very strong performances from the cast, particularly Hale, Dixon and Hannah. Although the first act seemed slow in certain parts, the dramatic second half flies by as tempers and emotions reach a crescendo and familial relationships become even more strained. Having only ever read Uncle Vanya and not having seen it performed on stage before, it was all relatively new to me - but the depth and emotions of the characters I felt when reading the play were lacking somewhat from Reiss' production, though I much preferred this to the previous modernisation of Three Sisters.