Overview
An elderly professor and his glamorous, younger second wife, Yeléna, return to the rural estate that supports their urban lifestyle. Ványa, brother of the professor’s late first wife, who manages the estate, and Ástrov, the local doctor, fall under Yeléna’s spell, while bemoaning their provincial existence. Sónya, the professor’s daughter by his first wife, who works with Ványa, suffers from unrequited feelings for Ástrov. Matters come to a crisis when the professor announces he plans to sell the estate, Ványa and Sónya’s home, to make more money for himself and his wife.
Casting & Production
Casting
ALEXÁNDER SEREBRIAKÓV, a retired professor
YELÉNA, his wife, 27 years old
SÓNYA, the professor’s daughter by his first wife
MRS. VOINÍTSKY (MARÍA VASÍLYEVNA), a widow, mother of the professor’s first wife
IVÁN PETRÓVICH (VÁNYA), her son
MIKHAÍL LVÓVICH ÁSTROV, a doctor
ILYÁ ILÝCH TELÉGIN, an impoverished neighbor
MARÍNA, the family’s old nurse
HIRED MAN
WATCHMAN, offstage
Setting
The action takes place on the Serebriakóv farm.
Reviews
“… noted Chekhov scholar Paul Schmidt’s translation [is] rich in humor and contemporary flavored dialogue without altering the plot. This enables [a director] to steer his actors to play up the comic elements but without losing the melancholy despair that permeates their characters’ lives. When the title character finally erupts into his impassioned outburst, it’s clear why the play is tagged as a tragi-comedy.”
—CurtainUp
