By James Karas
Vanya and Sonia and Masha and
Spike is a hilarious play
by Christopher Durang done exceptional well at the Panasonic Theatre.
Vanya, Sonia and Masha of the title are, of course, characters in Anton
Chekhov’s plays. Durang has borrowed them along with Nina, added Cassandra as a
nod to Greek tragedy and Spike, a hunk and failed actor, as a gesture to modern
trashy entertainment. The result is a funny play with interesting allusions to
Chekhov.
Vanya (Steve Sutcliffe) and Sonia (Fiona Reid) live in a farmhouse in
rural Pennsylvania and they tell us that they have no lives. The looked after
their parents through old age and Alzheimer’s (only his parents really because Sonia was adopted) and now are
miserable, broke, bickering and in danger of being thrown out on the street if
the house is sold.
The house is owned by sister Masha, the successful actress, who pays all
the bills. She arrives with Spike (Luke Humphrey), a toy boy with a sculpted
body, the morals of an alley cat and the brains of a moron. He wants to be an
actor and so far his success amounts to almost getting a role once.
There is also Cassandra (Audrey Dwyer) who cleans the house but mostly practices
what her name and status in Greek mythology dictates: foretelling the dire
future without anyone listening to her.
The fine cast delivers superb performances. Fiona Reid, by any standard
one of the finest comic actors, excels in the delivery of every line, every
gesture and every movement. Her Sonia is touchy, comically bitter, easily riled
and just plain funny. She does an amazing imitation of Maggie Smith and you
want her on stage for her intonation, the perfect phrasing and her superb
timing.
Steven Sutcliffe as the old Vanya has a mellifluous voice that serves
him well as the repressed gay and ever-suffering brother of Sonia. At times he
cannot do anything right as he tries to go through his miserable life. But he,
Sutcliffe that is, can produce laughter with ease and gives a marvelous
performance.
Jenifer Dale’s Masha is a successful actress but she is well beyond her
best-before date. She reminds one of Norma Desmond, the faded star of Sunset Boulevard who tries desperately
to hold on to her past glories. Dale does an excellent job in portraying the
shallow, self-centered, egotistical former star whose idiosyncrasies are quite
entertaining. This is the Masha from The Three Sisters who wants to go to
Moscow.
Audrey Dwyer is given free range as Cassandra. She can scream her
prophecies, yell when she feels like it and do all the comic business that an
officious servant can perform.
Humphrey as Spike and Ellen Denny as the young and pretty Nina have more
limited opportunities for comic shenanigans but no one can complain about their
performances.
Much of the comedy of Vanya and Sonia depends on timing,
gesture, intonation and motion. Those are largely dependent on the director and
Dean Paul Gibson deserves full credit for orchestrating all moves with
intelligence and finesse.
The set by Sue LePage consists of the living room of a farmhouse and it
is appropriate and becoming.
The Panasonic is a small theatre but for some reason the actors were
miked.
If you want a funny, literate and intelligent comedy, Vanya
and Sonia and Masha and Spike is your ticket.
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