Uncle Vanya

I saw Russian playwright Anton Chekov's play Uncle Vanya starring Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Dark Knight), Peter Sarsgaard (Jarhead), Dennis O'Hare (Milk) and Mamie Gummer (Stop-Loss). The play was published in 1899 and first performed in 1900. It is now playing through March at the Classic Stage Company in Union Square NYC.

Each character is miserable in his or her own way. Gyllenhaal plays Yelena who is married to the elderly, self-centered professor Aleksandr. She falls for the doctor Astrov played by Sarsgaard. Gyllenhaal plays Yelena quite well. She has the extreme boredom of an idle life down pat. It's interesting to see the real-life couple interact onstage.

The title character Uncle Vanya is played by O'Hare. He too is in love with Yelena. I don't think he did Vanya justice. I was on the front row, and he kept spitting profusely, which was very distracting since I was worried it was going to land on me.

Gummer, who is Meryl Streep's daughter, plays Sonya. She does an excellent job. Sonya is in love with Astrov, but he does not love her because he is taken by Yelena's beauty.

The play is sad and the recurring theme is the despondency of wasted lives.