As you might guess from the title, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike is a mash-up of the major plays of Chekhov, scrambled together by American playwright Christopher Durang and set in the present. Some of the pleasure is derived from getting the allusions and patting yourself on the back when you find them, although it鈥檚 probably fun even if you don鈥檛 know them.
Vanya, Sonia and Masha are the grown-up offspring of now deceased 鈥渃ommunity theatre鈥� thespian parents. Masha (Anna Galvin) is an actress but probably not a very good one and, in the role, Galvin is relentlessly, hilariously self-absorbed. Married five times, at 41 Masha is now hanging out with 20-something Spike (Robert Salvador), a super-studly would-be actor. Masha makes B-movies and pays the bills on the family home where her unmarried, 50-something siblings Vanya (Jay Brazeau) and Sonia (Susinn McFarlen) spend their time drinking coffee on the couch and sniping at each other. There are cherry trees out back but not quite enough to make an orchard. There鈥檚 a young neighbour called Nina (Katey Hoffman) who鈥檚 dazzled by Masha鈥檚 celebrity, and there鈥檚 a kooky housekeeper called Cassandra (Carmen Aguirre) who sees the future. And, yes, it looks as if Masha is going to sell the house.
There are some very funny lines in this play and they are delivered by two of Vancouver鈥檚 finest: McFarlen and Brazeau. But you have to doubt the discernment of American award committees that gave Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike the Tony Award for Best Play and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play in 2013. It鈥檚 funny and it鈥檚 entertaining and I did laugh, but if this play represents the best America has to offer, American theatre is in big trouble.
It鈥檚 true that if you go digging, there鈥檚 meat in this mash. Chekhovian themes run through it: longing for a different life, unfulfilled dreams and paralyzing resistance to change.
Indeed, Brazeau delivers a long harangue late in the play and it feels as if the whole play has been leading to the moment when Vanya (and/or the playwright) can lament the past 鈥� represented ludicrously by 鈥減ostage stamps that required licking.鈥� It鈥檚 really a boomer鈥檚 rant: memories of watching lame TV with the family, dial phones, writing letters with a pen, eating Spam, playing Scrabble and Monopoly (鈥淏etter than killing prostitutes in video games,鈥� he says), Ozzie and Harriet and Old Yeller. 鈥淭he 鈥�50s were idiotic but I miss part of them,鈥� wails Vanya. Our society, he says, is 鈥渄isconnected.鈥�
This monologue echoes one by Gayev in The Cherry Orchard when he waxes silly over the family鈥檚 鈥渄ear, honoured bookcase.鈥� It鈥檚 not the bookcase Gayev will miss when the house is sold;聽 it鈥檚 the shared past with shared values. In our gadget-ridden, screen-besotted, 21st century world, we understand the disconnection that comes, ironically, from always being connected.
But you do have to go digging in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike to find depth. Directed by Rachel Ditor, the play skims the surface and goes for laughs 鈥� which it gets. Salvador鈥檚 鈥渞everse strip-tease鈥� is wild; he just seems 鈥渃rotch first鈥� all the time. Hoffman鈥檚 Nina is so bright-eyed and star struck you could weep for her. 鈥淵ou must always get your hopes up,鈥� Nina says. Spoken like a child of the universe. And Aguirre鈥檚 hyperventilating howl repeatedly gets laughs.
It all happens on Alison Green鈥檚 lovely set: the interior of a gracious old home.
Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike is not a bad play 鈥� it鈥檚 just not a great play. And I was entertained. But Spring has come early to 麻豆传媒映画and the worry is that the theatre鈥檚 鈥渟illy season鈥� has arrived early, too.
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Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike is at the Stanley until April 19. For tickets, call 604-687-1644 or go to .
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