Vanya On 42nd Street

Vanya on 42nd Street
COMING SOON
The stars and director of "My Dinner with Andre" are reunited in this excellent modern adaptation of Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya." Written by David Mamet, Louis Malle's take on Chekhov's tale of unrequited love within one Russian family is deceptively simple. In a dilapidated New York theatre a dress rehearsal of the play unfolds, led by Andre Gregory, playing himself as the play's director, and a cast, including Wallace Shawn, acting out "Vanya" in street clothes. Despite its bare bones sets, "Vanya on 42nd Street" never feels like a filmed play and Malle and Mamet bring its comedic elements to the fore. The result is an update of a timeless classic that still commands the power to move an audience. -from "Boxoffice," Nov. 1994