The intensity of these two performances here, however, turns the delicately shaded ``Uncle Vanya'' into a down-and-out male bonding tale. Von Bargen, a member of Providence's Trinity Repertory Company, is a thoroughly contemporary actor and Walken, with his vacant eyes and wild-man haircut, has cut a reputation, at least in films, as an canny interpreter of men half cocked by modern times. But unmodulated by discernible direction, such moments remain at best, unintegrated, and at worst, unjustified. Sure, there are moments of psychological updating that move this ``Uncle Vanya'' beyond fin de si`ecle sentimentalizing. Walken's Astrov and Dan Von Bargen's Vanya as plucked from a Mamet original, say ``American Buffalo'' or ``Glengarry Glen Ross,'' while the rest of cast copes gamely with life in turn-of-the-century Russia. And Chekhov's tale of squandered fortune and wasted lives is lost in this acting free-for-all which is no substitute - entertaining as it is - for well-oiled ensemble. In general, the production is marred by an inconsistent tone and lack of point of view it remains a cacophony of acting styles, some of which span the centuries. There are some occasional savvy touches Serebryakov's sucking on a sourball while announcing the sale of the estate adds a nice touch of insouciance to an otherwise gloomy moment Serebryakov's fumbled grasping of his wife's hand while verbally dismissing her cleverly conveys a multiplicity of motives.īut these moments are few and far between. But all of them are marching to a different drummer. Wheeler has a stage full of competent actors in a few instances - Lindsay Crouse and Christopher Walken - more than competent. Wheeler's approach to this least tragic of Chekhov's comic-tragic major plays. Laissez faire in the extreme might kindly describe Mr. If only the production, directed by the ART's David Wheeler, had done the same. He has smoothed the frayed, antique edges of Chekhov's dialogue while leaving the play's original spirit intact. There are a few new words and phrases - Serebryakov's use of ``picayune'' springs to mind - but Mamet is largely displaying a screenwriter's control rather than his authorial virtuosity. Mamet reworked ``The Cherry Orchard'' a couple of seasons ago and has only tinkered with ``Uncle Vanya.'' Mamet has been keeping himself busy at his new local stage, the American Repertory Theatre, where his adaptation of Chekhov's ``Uncle Vanya'' is having its premi`ere.įor those anticipating the playwright's bruising signature dialogue spewed out by the 19th-century Russian landed gentry, relax. Of course, the bigger news is tomorrow's Lincoln Center opening of Mamet's latest play, ``Speed-the-Plow,'' which stars rock phenomenon Madonna in her non-singing stage debut. PLAYWRIGHT and screenwriter David Mamet has moved from New York to Cambridge.
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