The arrival of Professor Serebryakov at his country estate, along with his young wife, Helena, reveals the many frustrations of a not-so-distant past as well as a number of unknown desires in the present. Sonya, the professor’s daughter, feels the thrill of first love for a local physician, Dr. Astrov, while he competes tacitly against Vanya, the estate caretaker (and the professor’s former brother-in-law), for Helena’s favor. Step by step, we discover the immortal story of destinies shattered by the longing for impossible loves, along with the almost absurd existence of idealists facing ennui, regret and the agony of premature old age.
Neil LaBute revisits Chekhov’s classic play to explore the human condition, past and present, in a dynamic and sensitive performance that brings to the audience a timeless and universal metaphor for the struggle with our own demons.