The play itself is a cult thing. But the plot is pretty simple. A retired professor has returned to his estate to live with his beautiful young wife, Elena. The estate originally belonged to his first wife, now deceased; her mother and brother still live there and manage the farm. For many years the brother (Uncle Vanya) has sent the farm's proceeds to the professor, while receiving only a small salary himself. Sonya, the professor's daughter, who is about the same age as his new wife, also lives on the estate. The professor is pompous, vain, and irritable. There is also the Doctor there – Astrov - an experienced physician who performs his job conscientiously, but has lost all idealism and spends much of his time drinking. The presence of Elena introduces a bit of sexual tension into the household. Astrov and Uncle Vanya both fall in love with Elena; she spurns them both. Meanwhile, Sonya is in love with Astrov, who fails even to notice her. Finally, when the professor announces he wants to sell the estate, Vanya, whose admiration for the man died with his sister, tries to kill him. But the professor survives and he and Elena leave the estate. The play is simple. The issues it raised – very complex indeed.
When I asked my kid, who went with us too, what did he think the play was about? His reply, although humorous, open my eyes on what I thought to be Just Another Chekhov’s Play. Kid said: the play is about how everyone having their midlife crisis. It was as a laugh and revelation the same time…basically, what the play implies, is that each and every one of the characters hasn’t reached their realisation in life…different reasons, but same result. And now all they can do really – just sit there with a shot of vodka and pity themselves that they’ve lost their chance in life…yet none of them have given any thoughts to how to change this situation. And so they are idling, drinking, degrading without hope…actually, the picture is quite familiar even nowadays…
Although what really amazes – that in end, when all the troubles have happened and gone, when professor and his wife left and Uncle Vanya and his niece have been left to carry on what they always have been doing before professor’s short impact to their lives, that young girl, professor’s daughter, who has all her dreams shattered, nothing left to look forward to, in despair she tried to comfort her uncle with such an inspiring words, it brought tears to my eyes. And it was obvious, that she was saying these words not as such for her uncle, but mainly for herself, because it was clear that she was the one who needed to believe in them more, then anyone else…
SONIA
What can we do? We must live our lives. [A pause] Yes, we shall live, Uncle Vanya. We shall live through the long procession of days before us, and through the long evenings; we shall patiently bear the trials that fate imposes on us; we shall work for others without rest, both now and when we are old; and when our last hour comes we shall meet it humbly, and there, beyond the grave, we shall say that we have suffered and wept, that our life was bitter, and God will have pity on us. Ah, then dear, dear Uncle, we shall see that bright and beautiful life; we shall rejoice and look back upon our sorrow here; a tender smile--and--we shall rest. I have faith, Uncle, fervent, passionate faith. [SONIA kneels down before her uncle and lays her head on his hands. She speaks in a weary voice] We shall rest. We shall rest. We shall hear the angels. We shall see heaven shining like a jewel. We shall see all evil and all our pain sink away in the great compassion that shall enfold the world. Our life will be as peaceful and tender and sweet as a caress. I have faith; I have faith. [She wipes away her tears] My poor, poor Uncle Vanya, you are crying! [Weeping] You have never known what happiness was, but wait, Uncle Vanya, wait! We shall rest. [She embraces him] We shall rest. We shall rest.
The curtain slowly falls.