Laurence Olivier's production of Chekhov's Uncle Vanya performed by the Chichester Festival Theatre. Olivier's production of Chekhov's masterpiece is rightly famous. In addition to following Constance Garnet's beautiful translation of the play faithfully and staging the play carefully (albeit in a traditional fashion), Olivier, who plays Astrov (the Doctor, who, as in all Chekhov's plays, represents the playwright himself) assembled a stellar cast of actors: Joan Plowright is a perfect Sonia and Rosemary Harris a subtle Yelena. The older characters are filled out by some giants of the 20th century English stage, including Max Adrian, Lewis Casson, and Casson's wife, the magnificent Dame Sybil Thorndike as the Nurse. Topping the list, of course, is a fine performance by Michael Redgrave in the title role. Olivier and his actors are able to evoke the classic Chekhovian mood from the opening and carry it through smoothly and warmly until the end. The result gives the viewer a gentle and bittersweet view into 'country life' (see Chekhov's subtitle) and how people waste the gift of life with petty complaints rather than taking charge of it. This production is a perfect introduction to Chekhov and should be seen by all who love theatre.
C**S
No Light In The Distance
All doubts concerning filmed theater works remain in play but here count for zilch. This UNCLE VANYA belongs on the short shelf of theater DVDs you must have. With Chekhov pulling the strings and Max Adrian, Fay Compton, Rosemary Harris, Laurence Olivier, Joan Plowright, Michael Redgrave and Sybil Thorndike acting the roles, you will never see, never hear, never feel, never endure a better Chekhov production than this. Never.THE GUARDIAN, 5/18/15MICHAEL BILLINGTON:Laurence Olivier wasn’t exactly famous for his generosity towards rival actors. But even he was moved to write in his autobiography that Michael Redgrave’s Uncle Vanya was “the best performance I’ve ever seen in anything.” Olivier may, of course, have been swayed by the fact that he himself directed this renowned Chekhov production at Chichester in 1962-63 and played alongside Redgrave in the role of Astrov. But I’m tempted to agree with Olivier’s verdict, and anyone who wants to make up their own mind can catch Redgrave’s performance in the production on DVD.I had been fascinated by Redgrave long before his Uncle Vanya. I had seen him play Hamlet, Antony and Benedick on stage, and been mesmerised by him on screen in movies such as The Browning Version and Dead of Night. No actor was better at portraying divided souls whose intellect and emotion always seemed to be engaged in furious conflict. Only years later, when reading Alan Strachan’s marvellous biography of Redgrave, did I realise how much the actor’s capacity to play tormented figures was connected to his own bisexual nature.Even with Uncle Vanya, a 47-year-old hopelessly in love with the beautiful Yelena, Redgrave brought out the character’s split personality. With his floppy hair and absurdly large cravat, Redgrave looked like a tousled adolescent waking up in middle age to the fact that life has passed him by. Redgrave also captured the key fact about Vanya (and many other Chekhov characters): that it is possible to be comic outside and tragic inside.There was something ridiculous about Redgrave’s moony infatuation with Yelena, yet the moment he caught her in a passionate embrace with Olivier’s Astrov and offered her a bouquet of “exquisite, mournful roses” was enough to break the heart.The high point of Redgrave’s performance, however, came in the great scene where Vanya explodes with rage at the Professor’s plan to sell the estate and makes to shoot him. Redgrave was brilliantly reduced to babbling incoherence as, contemplating his wasted life, he cried: “I could have been a Schopenhauer, a Dostoevsky.” Yet the despair elided into farce as he took a pot shot at the Professor and missed. It is all there in Chekhov’s writing, but what Redgrave caught sublimely was the violent oscillation of Vanya’s mood swings, and his recognition of his own futility.I’ve been lucky to see many fine performances of the role, including Simon Russell Beale’s at the Donmar Warehouse and Roger Allam’s more recently at the Minerva, Chichester. But if Redgrave’s remains the benchmark, it is because he caught to perfection the essential Chekhov quality of “what-might-have-been.”
S**O
and the pic brought back happy memories. This is the best of the Chekhov ...
This is condensed film of the famous Chichester Theatre production of Uncle Vanya: I was there, in the audience, at the time, and the pic brought back happy memories. This is the best of the Chekhov filmed plays, though i think AC only really works in the theatre. But it's still well worth having,not least as an indication of a whole team of excellent actors.
L**E
Chechov
I saw this on TV in the year of the performance and was amazed at the lineup of British talent.Still well worth spending time with evn if it is a stage performance .
G**N
Good acting but you have to like Chekhov
I should have known not to get this. I've never liked the works of Chekhov. But Sir Laurence Olivier enticed me to buy it. I found the movie to be true Chekhov. The acting was very good. A group of dysfunctional people thrash around bit and form two groups of dysfunctional people. If there were any redeeming changes they were too subtle for me.
E**G
Baron Laurence Kerr Olivier !
A must purchase from Amazon. Priced right. Only a few left. And, what can one say about the greatest actor of the 20th century! Bravo!
E**Y
Three Stars
disappointting
A**T
Bad sound, no subtitles
Perhaps the performances are sublime, but the sound is bad and there are no subtitles. I just couldn't follow.
H**Y
Superb
Best Uncle Vanya ever filmed as a play. Oliver, Redgrave, Harris, Plowright, Thorndike! Larry's Astrov as well as his direction is perfect.
S**N
Supreme theatre acting
a classic, wonderful acting in a wonderful play. For anyone who loves good acting by major actor in history. Yes.
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