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Post by alexandra on Feb 10, 2016 14:34:12 GMT
I agree with you in theory Jan. Of course any of these people could have just got in the car and driven to the nearest city. Which, in fact, some of them do in the play (in the original too I mean - not in a car, but they leave). But the others are trapped by their temperament, character and situation more than by their location. It doesn't seem to lose that sense of entrapment in the playing, here.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2016 20:28:51 GMT
It's called Uncle Vanya, for pete's sake. What on earth made them think they had to use the English equivalent 'Johnny' for people to 'get' it? If anything, I would have thought it was just grounds for confusion - "I'm here to see a play about Uncle Vanya, who's this Johnny bloke?"
I should imagine a substantial number of their audience have managed to negotiate several weeks of War and Peace on the Beeb just fine, without getting confused by all those 'foreign names'. Whatever next? John Valjohn?!
Also - as Jan Brock suggests, it's a quintessentially Russian piece, no? Why shift the location in the first place?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2016 20:39:45 GMT
I actually never realised that Vanya was a diminutive (I suppose I knew the title before I knew about Russian naming), that casts a whole new light on the title.
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Post by mallardo on Feb 10, 2016 21:40:59 GMT
Strangely, the reviews from people who liked the production actually make it sound awful. If he's Uncle Johnny in this all-local-references-removed version why are they still calling the play Uncle Vanya? It sounds a lot like that hopeless Anya Reiss version of The Seagull set on the Isle of Man.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2016 21:49:33 GMT
Uncle Johnny sounds like a disgraced children's entertainer
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Post by peggs on Feb 10, 2016 21:54:03 GMT
Yes the russianess of this was part of what appealed to me and I whilst I can see perhaps if you wish to remove all associations with russia you need to chance the name i rather want my Vanya character. People do go 'oh you are cultured' when they hear I go to theatre, they're wrong of course, or at least I don't really know what exactly it is they mean but they'll be a lot less impressed if I go to see Uncle Johnny than Vanya, which actually probably means I think they're references to culture link somehow to intelligence and the unfamiliar being more impressive than the normal which Johnny suggests.
Still i'm glad to know in advance as I can adjust my expectations now and may well then be quite happy with it all.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2016 22:59:47 GMT
Strangely, the reviews from people who liked the production actually make it sound awful. If he's Uncle Johnny in this all-local-references-removed version why are they still calling the play Uncle Vanya? It sounds a lot like that hopeless Anya Reiss version of The Seagull set on the Isle of Man. I guess the play is called Uncle Vanya because that's the usual English translation of Chekhov's title. People report that this version is not located, so it sounds nothing like a version set on the Isle of Man. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2016 23:00:33 GMT
As long as it's better than Anya Reiss's Uncle Vanya at the St James.
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Post by Jan on Feb 11, 2016 10:17:38 GMT
I agree with you in theory Jan. Of course any of these people could have just got in the car and driven to the nearest city. Which, in fact, some of them do in the play (in the original too I mean - not in a car, but they leave). But the others are trapped by their temperament, character and situation more than by their location. It doesn't seem to lose that sense of entrapment in the playing, here. I suppose I'm still infuriated by the Southwark Playhouse Three Sisters set in Dubai. |
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Post by alexandra on Feb 11, 2016 10:41:47 GMT
I actually never realised that Vanya was a diminutive (I suppose I knew the title before I knew about Russian naming), that casts a whole new light on the title. Exactly. I hadn't thought about it either. |
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Post by Jan on Feb 11, 2016 10:43:38 GMT
I actually never realised that Vanya was a diminutive (I suppose I knew the title before I knew about Russian naming), that casts a whole new light on the title. Me too. |
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Post by DuchessConstance on Feb 11, 2016 16:34:09 GMT
I didn't get any strong impression of a time or place, except to find the reference in act 3 to sharia law incongruously modern.
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Post by alexandra on Feb 11, 2016 17:01:18 GMT
Yes that jolted a bit didn't it? No reason why it should really, since it was all modern, but it did. I also thought the choice of music at one stage (no spoilers) was a little bit self-indulgent. Again no reason why it shouldn't have been picked, but I wonder if it would have been, but for recent events.
None of that spoiled it for me though. It's still very much with me.
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Post by olly on Feb 12, 2016 10:43:28 GMT
Absolutely loved Oresteia last year in the West End so really looking forward to seeing what Mr. Icke et al. serve up this time. To my shame I've never been to the Almeida so I'm wondering if anyone who has been to this production could let me know just how restricted they think my restricted view tickets will be to the side of row C in the stalls?
(Hello everyone by the way - this is my first post!)
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Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2016 10:47:26 GMT
Depends how deep the current stage set up is. If you're way over to the side and they're using the full depth, you're going to lose the back corner on your side. I last sat way over to the side for Bernarda Alba and there was maybe a quarter of the stage I couldn't see, but it didn't impede my enjoyment of the show any. They wouldn't have sold the seats if they were impossible (the side stalls were originally not on sale at all), but there will be some restriction.
Also, welcome!
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Post by olly on Feb 12, 2016 10:50:31 GMT
Thanks Baemax!  |
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Post by alexandra on Feb 12, 2016 10:50:59 GMT
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Post by DuchessConstance on Feb 12, 2016 10:53:46 GMT
The stage constantly revolves in a circle, so essentially there is no front or side. Row C stalls is a fine view and barely restricted at all. Actually I found it better then the front row as the front row is quite a bit lower than the stage.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2016 13:42:05 GMT
Hmm, can Stasia or any of our other Russian friends on here confirm his take on 'Vanya' being dismissive? Perhaps in this context it is - maybe my understanding of the play is at fault.
But in general, aren't Russian diminutives used by friends and family to denote closeness? When I lived out there as a student I was frequently addressed as 'Laurochka' by my host family and it was most certainly used affectionately, not dismissively! My friend, whose name was far more anglicised, was positively miffed that the family had no diminutive for her...
I'd have thought it would be positively weird if a Russian family addressed each other using first name and patronymic - they'd always use the diminutive, surely?
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Post by rumbledoll on Feb 12, 2016 14:14:45 GMT
jeanhunt, from where I am standing being not as brilliant at my own country's traditions as I want to I still reckon as follows: - In the times the play was written (late 19th century) it was quite common to call members of the family in full name - not only if the person is elder than you are, but also the gran could call her grand daughter e.g. Sonya Nikolaevna on the occasion they are not alone in the room/ guests visiting. It was the sign of showing respect and it didn't mean the family members had no affection for each other if they spoke in such official fashion. It didn't affect the kids though, not till they reach certain age. - However, it wasn't uncommon either to use shortened diminutive names (Luba-Lubochka, Sasha-Sashenka, Petya-Petenka, Misha-Mishenka) especially in tet-a-tet conversations to show fondness. In fact there are the whole variety of diminutive versions of a single name in Russian lanuage which I doubt exist elsewhere. Mine has at least 6 if you can believe that The tradition of calling your family nambers by their full name + patronymic was fading out slowly as we moved closer to morden times and now used only for people that are complete strangers to you (or your higher ranked/elder colleagues sometimes, teachers, etc). I gotta admit I haven't read this play nor seen it staged so it's hard to judge on that particular character and why it's been treated like that. Uncle Vanya can also be a playful joky way of addressing him, but only in a kind sort of way, but not dismissive. |
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Post by alexandra on Feb 12, 2016 14:29:02 GMT
I didn't find it dismissive so much as slightly patronising. He's the only one of the men addressed (in the original as well as in this) by the diminutive. His more respected brother Aleksandr doesn't become Sasha, for example, nor does the doctor Mikhail become Misha. Or you could just say that they all call him by his diminutive because they are particularly fond of him. Whatever, he is the only one of the men to be called by his diminutive name, and I imagine that is the point the director is aiming to highlight.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2016 20:31:06 GMT
Thanks both - makes more sense in the context of the play, then. Though I still reckon it's all a bit unnecessary..!
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Post by peggs on Feb 12, 2016 21:30:31 GMT
Thanks for the link Alexandra and the russian name interpretations above, all interesting and informative. It's not a play i'm familiar with and I'll go in with a bit more thoughtfulness now.
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Post by peggs on Feb 12, 2016 21:31:24 GMT
Absolutely loved Oresteia last year in the West End so really looking forward to seeing what Mr. Icke et al. serve up this time. To my shame I've never been to the Almeida so I'm wondering if anyone who has been to this production could let me know just how restricted they think my restricted view tickets will be to the side of row C in the stalls? (Hello everyone by the way - this is my first post!) Have not yet seen this production but I rather like the restrained side stalls, so far they've been fine for me. Welcome to the board! |
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Post by Polly1 on Feb 13, 2016 0:24:27 GMT
Interestingly, the Telegraph sent Dominic Cavendish to Nell Gwynn tonight and the second string to this - he gave it 3 stars. Nevertheless, I've cracked and booked a ticket as it looks such a great cast. Oh, and 5 stars from Time Out.
Edit: Billington also at Nell G. Quite surprised as that's a transfer and I would have thought they would have been more interested in Icke's follow up to his award winner.
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