Bringing Russia to Berkeley with “Uncle Vanya”
This week is all about the endurance of theatre in our current time, Tessa Lark comes to town, and ideas abound for Valentine’s weekend fun throughout the area.
Fifty years ago, Berkeley Repertory Theatre took on the vital challenge of sharing Anton Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya with audiences for the first time. Today, Berkeley Rep returns to this story of disconsolate souls who are working hard to better their everyday lives.
When Chekhov died in 1904, he had only completed five major plays and speculated his plays would only be produced for seven years, at most. For over a century, artists from all over the world have been returning to these works: mining them, interpreting them, translating them, and even breaking them apart to get to the core of... well, what is at the core of Chekhov’s work that continues to compel artists to tell his stories? Why do storytellers like director Simon Godwin return to Chekhov’s narratives, specifically, Uncle Vanya?
To try to understand Chekhov’s enduring spirit, take a look at a wide range of ways Uncle Vanya has been interpreted by radically different artists throughout the last 125 years.
On the Stage
This week the spotlight is on a violinist, a world-renowned quartet, a journey through British dance, and more.
Tessa Lark
Music | San Francisco Symphony
February 19 | Tickets
Tessa Lark was nominated for a 2020 Grammy Award for Best Classical Instrumental Solo, and is also a highly acclaimed fiddler in the tradition of her native Kentucky.
More Events
- Takács Quartet | Cal Performances | February 16
- Cool Britannia | San Francisco Ballet | Now – February 19
- The Thing About Jellyfish | Berkeley Repertory Theatre | Now – March 9 | View the Program
Next Line
Delve deeper into the performance with A.C.T.’s special events and read a piece on the relevance of theatre in our current political climate.
- American Conservatory Theater has unveiled a lineup of special events to accompany Nobody Loves You, the upcoming musical comedy from Bay Area favorites Itamar Moses (Tony Award winner for The Band’s Visit) and Gaby Alter. Highlights include guest bartenders, a tasting night, and an event inspired by the popular Tinder Disrupt series.
- Arts reporter for SF Chronicle, Lily Janiak, writes on the importance of the dramas of Henrik Ibsen in the second term of President Trump. An Enemy of the People plays at San Jose Stage Company, bringing the truth of our times directly to the stage.
