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Chekhov’s The Bear misses the mark

3.5 Stars

Last Friday a crowd lined up outside Conron Hall for the opening night of Anton Chekhov’s works.

Hosted by the English department, the show featured two works from the acclaimed playwright — The Bear and Uncle Vanya.

The show opened with The Bear, a slapstick farce centering around the thin line between loath and love. Meant to serve as a lighthearted opening to the show, the performance’s only achievement was making Uncle Vanya look better by comparison.

The play follows the story of mourning widow Elena Ivanovna Popova, who discovers unexpected romance when Grigory Stepanovich Smirnov barges into her home, demanding to be repaid the debts owed by Elena’s late husband.

Chekhov’s script is entertaining as it pokes fun at stereotypes of both men and women, most of which are still familiar today. Despite the playwright’s biting wit, Friday’s performance missed the mark. Rushed pacing and generally poor acting prevented the play from leaving the realm of amateur for true entertainment.

FACIAL EXPRESSION IS KEY. The English department’s production of Chekhov plays was lackluster but a solid effort nonetheless. Andre Cormier (left) and Lia Karidas (right) were two of the night’s standout performances. (Corey Stanford/Gazette)

Carolyn Camman played an unbelievable and static Elena. Her forced sobs, perhaps intended to add comedy, instead played out as the awkward result of weak acting.

Randy Nanjad also struggled with his role as Grigory. His strained display of the bumbling fool quickly grew tired and failed to provoke more than a few pity chuckles from the audience.

While the actors warmed up as the play progressed, they peaked at mediocre. Occasional mistakes are expected on the first night, but the actors repeatedly fumbled dialogue and hurried their lines, creating a performance more suited for rehearsal than opening night.

Fortunately, the second performance compensated for earlier failings as the talented cast of seasoned actors and gifted rookies took on Uncle Vanya — one of Chekhov’s renowned favourites.

Set in the country home of an aged professor and his young wife, the play follows the struggles of multiple love triangles as the characters deal with the sombre themes of idleness, despair and death.

Andre Cormier surpassed all with his ability to vibrantly project his character, Michael Astroff. He effectively played the part of the alcoholic doctor, delivering each line as if it were his own as he pursued his love interest in the professor’s wife.

Cormier wasn’t alone in his talents. Much of Uncle Vanya’s success came from the dynamic relationship played between Cormier and Mitch Brown as Vanya Voitski. Despite being new to the stage, Brown seemed like a veteran. He and Cormier delighted the audience with their natural camaraderie, and believable animosity later as they competed to earn the love of the beautiful Helena.

Among those worth mentioning is also Lia Karidas, who impressed as the naïve and impassioned Sonia. Karidas played her character beyond the script, shuffling towards Astroff in bashful awe and eyes wide in doe-like innocence.

With the combination of a capable set of actors and a script that stands out in itself, Uncle Vanya was a delight for all in attendance.

Taking into consideration Western’s new certificate in theatre arts program, both performances were successful. For a cast and crew of mostly amateurs, the English department pulled together an overall satisfactory evening.

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