The mind of any artist is a strange universe with a landscape we are only just beginning to understand, but if there were one playwright with whom we know already there are no limits, I would dare say Christopher Durang would be at the top of my list.
Not only has he been afforded nearly four decades of creating more than 20 distinct work with two periods of proficiency with a very brief period of not being in fashion. But he never appears to repeat himself as he traverses themes ranging from works inspired by classic literature that always deliver with a twist on the subject, whether it is child abuse, extreme Roman Catholic dogma in the face of shifting culture, and homosexuality.
I was introduced to his writing style with the laugh out loud and totally absurd “Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You” in the 1980s. I think I still giggle at the ludicrous portrayal of a murderous nun who turns on her students.
Lucky for us locals, Durang’s latest work, the 2013 Tony Award for Best Play “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” is opening for two weeks at Actors Theatre, located in Spectrum Theatre.
The story follows Vanya and Sonia, siblings who live together after the passing of their ailing parents. We learn early on that they have a sister, Masha, but she totally abandoned the family, running off to become a movie star.
Did I forget to add that their housekeeper Cassandra has the ability to predict the future and issues a warning to Vanya and Sonia of something grim about to beset them?
That’s the cue for Masha to drop in with her new boyfriend, Spike, thus creating comedic drama for the other siblings.
And being true to its Anton Chekhov roots, this play ensures that the theatrics move center stage, revolving around the topics of how we live our lives, who we love, and even what to do with the house. (Hint: someone wants to sell it real bad.)
This award-winning play is the closing production on Actors’ Theatre 35th season and is directed by Actors’ Theatre’s founder, Fred Sebulske.
“This play is Chekhov put through a Mixmaster. It is silly, sometimes bawdy but strangely respectful of Chekhov and his funny/sad characters,” Sebulske says, “We have endeavored to give our characters real lives, even when they are making absurd leaps of logic and tying themselves into impossible and ridiculous knots of emotion. It is amazingly fun to be foolish and goofy for three hours a night at rehearsal. Pretty darn therapeutic, too.”
And like every good therapy, if you neglect to participate, before you know it, our time with Actors’ “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” will be over. The play runs until May 21.
Admission: $10 - $28
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