Distorted souls: Czechow's uncle Wanja on the Josefstadt stage

Distorted souls: Czechow's uncle Wanja on the Josefstadt stage

In the Theater in the Josefstadt, the staging of Anton Chekhov's “Uncle Wanja” is currently being prepared with great sensation, which will be premiered on November 14, 2024. A team around the director Amélie Niermeyer has again ventured to the work of the famous Russian author and has already triggered controversy.

The dress rehearsal, which was recently taken, revealed a staging that is described as radical and provocative. Niermeyer, known for her unconventional approaches, has already caused excitement with her staging of "Kirschgarten". Many visitors and critics are excited to see how they interpret Czechow's complex characters and the melancholic mood of his work.

The staging in detail

Chekhov's "Uncle Wanja" is one of the most important dramas of world literature. It is about people who live in a constant conflict with themselves and their environment. Wanja, the protagonist, sees a selfish professor and his young wife, Jelena. In Niermeyer's interpretation, however, the characters seem to be very distorted and difficult to recognize.

The stage sets and costumes transport a chaotic, almost surreal impression. You can see the figures in shabby outfits, which often remind of the aesthetics of the 50s. According to reports, they not only appear in silent, thoughtful moments, but also always break into loud scenes and pieces of music that are not in accordance with the original text. For example, Schubert's “serenade” is presented in a way that appears to many as a mockery of the work.

The character developments seem to go in a direction that lifts the heart of Czechow's work out of joint. Wanja, played by Raphael von Bargen, changes from pain to anger and hysteria. Sonja, in the role of Johanna Mahaffy, loses her innocence and becomes a rough, unfriendly person. Even the old Wojnizkaja is changed drastically by portraying it as an affected would-be intellectual, which is no longer surrounded by the deep human sadness, for which Czechow is so well known. The main focus seems to be on the broken character of the characters and their desperate living conditions.

Astrow, which is known for his deep connection to nature, is embodied by Alexander Absenger, but the performance shows little interest in the topics that his figure originally embodied. Instead, the characters are often represented as aimless, hectic and roaring. These stylistic decisions have already triggered mixed reactions.

The reviews of Niermeyer's implementation are as diverse as it is loud. Some visitors are disappointed with the alienation of the characters, while others consider the daring reinterpretation to be necessary. Even if there are some that question the meaningfulness of this radicality, it remains to be seen how the audience will react to the final staging. According to the previous impressions, the evening seems to be an emotional roller coaster ride that breaks with Czechow's tender, melancholic style.

Despite the different opinions on their staging, one thing remains clear: Anyone who loves Chekhov will probably have to look at this performance with a certain skepticism. In many meetings, there is talk that lovers of his work should take away this theater evening. The director has managed to challenge the expectations of traditional Czechow production and not only to initiate discussions, but also to present a clear attitude.

For more information and reports about the action around the performance, we recommend to follow the current reporting on onlineerker.com