Moscow Moscow
Moscow Moscow Moscow
The Robert W. Wilson MCC Theater Space
August 15, 2019
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| Photo courtesy of MCC Theater |
Playwright
Halley Feiffer takes a highly effective look at Chekhov’s Three Sister
in her unconventional adaptation. Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow is dark, zany, and poignant. The characters are truthful and clear mirrors
of Chekhov’s characters. Their yearning
and despair is viewed through a lens of absurdity, which makes their loneliness
and desperation that much clearer and more identifiable. Through succinct timing and a heightened
style, director Tripp Cullman skillfully unifies this magnificent cast of
twelve to engage and enlighten the audience through laughter and self-contemplation.
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| Chris Perfetti, Tavi Gevinson, & Rebecca Henderson Photo courtesy of MCC Theater |
We
are in a house on the Russian countryside in 1900. Olga (played by Rebecca Henderson) goes on
and on about how unattractive she is.
Irina (played by Tavi Gevinson) is selfishly focused on the fact that it
is her birthday. Masha (played by Chris
Perfetti) is absorbed in her book. They
all long to return to Moscow, but can’t… but don’t know why… so they are
unhappy. Very unhappy. Their brother Andrey (played by Greg
Hildreth) plays the violin and aspires to study science and achieve greatness,
but instead falls in love with a local girl, Natasha (played by Sas Goldberg),
who the sisters consider to be a low-class whore. Tuzenback (played by Steven Boyer) is madly
in love with Irina, but she doesn’t give him the time of day. He introduces the family to Veshinin (played
by Alfredo Narciso), who becomes attracted to dark and brooding Masha. She madly reciprocates, even though she is stuck
in a loveless marriage with closeted Kulygin (played by Ryan Spahn). They all want more out of life, but can’t get
it… but don’t know why… so they are unhappy… but we see and understand, and
laugh at the absurdity
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| Steven Boyer & Matthew Jeffers Photo courtesy of MCC Theater |
This
entire cast is truly phenomenal. Out of
tightly timed high comedy scenes come genuine moments of hurt and sorrow, that
are then topped off with a laugh. Each
character is truthfully drawn, carrying sincere hurt in their hearts. These actors portray them in such a way that
we distance ourselves from them in order to get a more precise view of who they
are, which causes us to connect even stronger.
The humor is raucous. The timing
takes us out of the moment, then plunges us back into the darkness of their
pain. The play is skillfully written. The production is masterfully conceived and
directed.
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| Greg Hildreth & Sas Goldberg Photo courtesy of MCC Theater |
If
you have not seen MCC’s new space on 53rd St. and 10th Ave,
check it out as soon as you can. The
space is sharp, and offers a great opportunity for this company to step up and
stand out. This production is a sure
sign that they will be doing just that. Moscow
Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow is playing at The Robert W. Wilson MCC
Theater Space through August 17. Time is
running out, so get your ticket before it’s too late.
Domenick Danza
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