Nikolai Ivanov (Barry Del Sherman) once commanded respect, power and money, and his country neighbors once trusted and confided in him. Now that his allowance cannot make ends meet, Nikolai turns from brightly hopeful to unrelentingly indifferent. Still relevant a century after it was first written, Odyssey Theatre’s “Ivanov” aptly explores the dilemma of the common man: money, boredom and apathy. Adding subtle hints of modernity through the translation and the costumes, this production is glamorous, uproarious and believable.
Looking at the cast, Anton Chekhov and Constantin Stanislavsky would weep from happiness. Sasha Lebedev (Brittany Slattery) embodies the naive, young woman who believes that she can save the hopeless man she foolishly loves. Count Matthew Shabelsky (Tom Fitzpatrick) is as heinous as ever, delivering his jokes with vim, vigor and an occasional devilish wink. Nikolai Ivanov (Sherman) wrestles with his internal demons and becomes increasingly languid and listless. Overall, this cast delivers what Chekhov wanted: a profound look into the disastrous last months of a failed man.
The direction transcends into mastery because of the costumes and the action. The costumes perfectly underscore each person’s walk of life, and director Bart DeLorenzo uses these costumes to create a twister of action. No one slowly walks across the stage; the actor runs in his bright, mismatched sweat suit, lamenting the loss at the card game. While one actor runs, the other actress spins extravagantly, showcasing her pin-up dress and Goldilocks curls. The combination of the costumes and stage direction modernize the production, making it accessible to present-day audiences.
Although the production succeeds in recreating Chekhov’s vision, “Ivanov” could have benefited from more Chekhov-like pauses. Wrapped in between comments of how boring the party is, the silences hilariously point to the country side’s dull and lackluster manner. However, the play could have benefited from more uncomfortable silences in other circumstances. Without these pauses, Chekhov’s character is lost.
With the United States becoming an increasingly capitalist country, money dictates not only relationships, but the future as well. “Ivanov” captures that same attitude except the play is set in a rural village. All of the characters in “Ivanov” get weak at the knees when they see money. Asking for it every week, the characters only need two rubles to make ends meet, yet the neighbors’ constant insistence on that money dominates their society, just as it does in this post-recession era today.
As applicable as it was in 1887, “Ivanov” still retains age-old themes, but this production retells Nikolai’s demise in modern terms. The actors display their versatility and knowledge of Chekhov’s works, while director DeLorenzo imagines the action in a fresh, new way. Whether a Chekhov fan or not, everyone will enjoy the show.
“Ivanov” will be playing at the Odyssey Theatre through June 3. Tickets cost $15 to $30.
Natalia Evdokimova has been involved with theater throughout her life and has reviewed theatrical productions for local and citywide publications since 2005.
