Lila Neugebauer directs a very punchy revival of “Uncle Vanya,” which opened Wednesday at LCT’s Vivian Beaumont Theatre. Anton Chekhov’s characters suffer from ennui, but not so much in this production.
Steve Carell makes his Broadway debut in the title role, and he isn’t the only one on stage who seems to have realized, just before the show begins, that the character he’s playing is bored, weary of life and more than ready for a major change. As played by Alison Pill, Uncle Vanya’s niece Sonia is brimming with life. Even William Jackson Harper brings genuine excitement to all of Astrov’s pursuits, whether the doctor is trying to save the environment, avoid another sick bed call or seduce Elena.
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