Vanya+&+Sonia+Critique

=//Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike// Play Critique =

By Hanna Alfredsson
2/23/17

//Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike// is a comedic play about three middle-aged siblings, all attempting to find the purpose in their lives as they

face the pains of growing older. The play was written by Christopher Durang, who eloquently sets up a touching and hilarious story about the fears

and regrets we all face as we age. I believe everyone can relate to the stuggles of finding love that Sonia deals with, the lack of purpose and wasted

time that Vanya reflects on, or the insecurities that afflict Masha. Each character reflects the struggles of daily life, and some, like Spike, reflect the

roadblocks we put in front of ourselves. Cassandra, the house keeper, not only provides extreme comedic relief during the plays more intense

moments, also provides valuable advice to the main characters. Overall, Durang has crafted a fully rounded story with complex and moving characters

that anyone can enjoy. It is my firm belief that the actors make the play, they are the backbone, the facilitators, of a given story. Actors came before the

director, scene designer, and costumes. And while those positions do play important roles in modern day theatre, at drama's heart is the actor and the

story. So it was important for this show to have actors that could genuinely portray the complexities and humorous moments of everyday life, and it is

safe to say these actors lived up to their potential. The play begins with notably static people in a notably static place, and the character development

from those beginning moments to the final couch scene is extremely notable. Throughout most of the play, Vanya was notably closed off, more than

often taking part in mediating the emotions of his two sisters rather than showing his own. The introduction of the sweet neighbor Nina, whose own

performance was touching and vulnerable, begins to open up the caring and passionate side of Vanya, culminating in the catharsis he experiences

after the rude behavior by Spike during his play performance.

Vulnerability in general is an extremely critical theme of the play. Sonia dry wit and humor toward her un-lived life and never forgetting to remind

everyone of her being adopted shows the insecure and vulnerable side of Sonia. Not to mention the hilarious smashing of coffee mugs. This is

heightened when Masha returns to the household, flaunting her career accomplishments and constantly putting Sonia down and treating her like a

child. These vulnerable and frustrating moments make Sonia transformation for the party that much more relieving, especially when she receives the

call from a suitor in Act two.

Masha is irritating the moment she enters the stage. She immediately comes off as vain, inconsiderate, and is rude to both of her siblings,

not to mention the fact that she has brought along an extremely young man with her as her boyfriend, whose personality and attitude is even worse

than her's. Without this initial attitude toward Masha, her transformation would not have made quite as big an impact as it did. Her reflection on her

own shortcomings and insecurities, the long-awaited departure of Spike, and the sister's quite hilarious crying on the couch, struck a chord. Her

behavior throughout the play is not excused per say, but is explained and so satisfyingly resolved.

The space was intimate and the coziness and warmth of the set radiated throughout the theatre. It was almost as if you were walking into

someone's home and watching the struggles and hilarities of a real family. The carefully crafted dark wooden flooring and even the beam that ran

across the top brought a sense of unity when watching the play. The only problem i ever had with the set was with the stairs. Their hollow nature

allowed for a reverberation of sound when an actor used them to walk backstage which would distract at times. Also, I was not necessarily a fan of

having the actors walk up and down the to the side of the theatre during outdoor scenes. It would take away from the immersive quality of the show.

However, other than those two things, the physical production was immensely well thought out. The lighting design was especially superb. It carefully

crafted each moment's mood throughout the play, whether using a gobo or merely dimming the lights. I also enjoyed the touch of the car lights to add

to the realistic quality of the play.

As for audience response, everyone in the theatre seemed to be in tune to each other. There's always some sort of laughter rumbling

throughout the plays running time. At times the laughter went on for minutes at a time and over took the audience. The actors did a lovely job reading

the audience and adjusting during different reactions, whether it was filled with laughter, silence, or cooing. Everyone left that performance with happy

reactions and I don't think I heard a single bad response to the show. It seemed as those we all had been moved by the complexities of Vanya, Sonia,

and Masha.

Overall //Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike// was an accomplished performance that was genuinely funny and moving. One could not

experience that show and not leave feeling touched and attached to the three siblings. The play taught me that life is hard and disappointing at times,

but it has so much to give. You are never too old to start living regardless of what you've done or haven't done. I commend this fantastic cast and

director for a show where no dollar spent was regretted.