FUSION's 'Uncle Vanya' explores the connections of family and community

Set in Ukraine at the turn of the century, “Uncle Vanya” follows a family attempting to maintain a crumbling home, while exploring the idea of love and community in a time that lacks those ideals.

The play follows characters Sonya and her Uncle Vanya as the pair throw themselves into the restoration of their family home. When Sonya’s father, Professor Serebryakov, returns home with his new wife, the family begins to unravel when secrets begin to unfold. Things only get worse when the family discovers Professor Serebryakov intends to sell the home they worked so desperately to repair.

FUSION Theatre Company is bringing “Uncle Vanya” to the stage with shows Thursday, Feb. 6, through Sunday, Feb. 16.

“This is primarily a love story and a comedy, and it’s all variations of love and the kind of love that ultimately heals and transforms the psyche and a community,” said Jacqueline Reid, director of the play. “When you’re at a point in life where you don’t know what’s around the corner, it’s always love that’s going to heal and get us through, not just romantic love, but love in its highest form.”

The show is based off of Anton Chekhov’s original play, but was adapted by Conor McPherson to bring a modern day tone to the story to help audience members better relate to it.

“The original is quite verbose with a lot of exposition and talking,” Reid said. “In this version, the words are trimmed and condensed and much more to the point. You’re riding fast and going deep at the same time. He brings a great economy and modern sensibility to the action.”

The show asks the audience to look within and acknowledge their emotions and their connections with loved ones and their community.

“The first act is a riot because you’re watching all these high-strung, intense people, and it’s a situational comedy so you watch them in their own reality dealing with each other,” Reid said. “As each scene progresses, it gets more and more specific and intimate.”

Reid said the biggest difference between this iteration of “Uncle Vanya” and Chekhov’s original play is that this version emphasizes the comedy.

“It’s not going to be your mother’s version of ‘Uncle Vanya,’” she said. “There are a lot of other versions out there, and I think they often get it wrong because they don’t understand Chekhov’s is comedy. The comedy is found because of the intensity of each character’s need is so intense that it creates a comedy.”

“Uncle Vanya” also creates comparisons between Western and Eastern mindsets. Reid said the show asks audience members to thoughtfully engage with the idea of personhood.

“It gets to the heart of what you think personhood is,” she said. “Is personhood me, myself and I can do whatever I want as long as I don’t hurt anybody or is it the Eastern mindset of personhood being about pouring out and giving to others? To find yourself in the West is to find yourself by losing yourself.”

FUSION's 'Uncle Vanya' explores the connections of family and community