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Uncle Vanya Audiobook
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(3.00) - 5,462 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
In this classic of Chekhov’s canon, an overbearing professor pays a visit to his country estate, where Sonya and Vanya, his daughter and former brother-in-law, have slaved to maintain his wealth. But Vanya is enchanted by the professor’s new wife, while Sonya has fallen for the town’s melancholy doctor. Includes a conversation with Rosamund Bartlett, author of “Chekhov: Scenes from a Life.” Recorded in Los Angeles before a live audience at the UCLA James Bridges Theater in October 2013. Director: Rosalind Ayres Producing Director: Susan Albert Loewenberg An L.A. Theatre Works Full-Cast Performance Featuring: Jennifer Bassey as Mariya JD Cullum as Telegin Holley Fain as Yelena Martin Jarvis as Professor Serebryakov Stacy Keach as Vanya Anna Mathias as Marina Josh Radnor as Astrov Devon Sorvari as Sonya Associate Producers: Christina Montaño, Anna Lyse Erikson Recording Engineer/Sound Designer/Mixer: Mark Holden for The Invisible Studios, West Hollywood Sound Effects Artist: Sam Boeck Stage Manager: Tori Burnett Editor: Wes Dewberry
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"I read this because I was going to see the play (with Cate Blanchett as Yelena and Hugo Weaving as Astrov), and I've found that reading a play before seeing it really increases my enjoyment and deepens my understanding of the production itself and the director's and actors' choices. It's a very good play to read and it was a very enjoyable production, but the production to my mind less Chekov than a modern sex farce."
— Shana (4 out of 5 stars)
Uncle Vanya Listener Reviews
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" A beautiful comedy about the suffering of ennui. "
— Wa, 2/7/2014 -
" Ruski klasik...:) "
— Rikki, 2/4/2014 -
" ignore the edition stuff, I checked a book with nine Chekhov plays out from the library yesterday, and this was the first I read, and sigh, gasp, wow. "
— Mara, 2/1/2014 -
" I have read this many times. And every time, I get new meaning. Chekhov created the ensemble play about relationships, and life en famile. All his characters are the protagonist, at one time or another. This year Sonia stands out for me as valiant and wise. "
— Sherry, 1/24/2014 -
" Some of this book was hard to read, not only because of the story but because of the way the slaves spoke in the South at that time. Uncle Tom's Faith and Courage are to be celebrated. My motto for this new year 2012 are Integrity, dilligence and courage. Uncle Tom had theae in abundance. "
— Theresa, 1/15/2014 -
" Let go at least once in your life. "
— Kelley, 1/13/2014 -
" I enjoyed this play. When i took my time and read through it i began understanding the characters and their situations more. To me this play is about life, struggles and living through them. "
— Carlyissa, 1/5/2014 -
" I didn't really enjoy this at all. I found it pointless and a little confusing. I think I'd have to read some of the history behind it to understand it better. It's also possible I read a poor translation. "
— ~Sara~, 12/25/2013 -
" this book makes me depressed. voinsky is funny as hell though "
— Julia, 11/13/2013 -
" Had to read it for a class but useful for adding to my collection of Russian classics. Still trying to sort out how I feel about it. I'm mostly just depressed at Vanya's turmoil. "
— Chris, 11/8/2013 -
" Anton Chekhov is very good at "showing" a piece of time and the character's within it without judgement. "
— Isaac, 10/30/2013 -
" The presence of vodka in every scene made me laugh, but I loved the evident tension in the house and Uncle Vanya!! "
— Fionnuala, 10/15/2013 -
" All the plays I've read seem to prove one thing: love is slavery. "
— Marko, 8/25/2013 -
" I read this for a LAMDA exam, and to be honest the reason I did not enjoy it was probably due to the amount of times I had to go through one scene, but it's put me off of reading any more Chekov =/ "
— Rinn, 4/16/2013 -
" Eh... better than Medea "
— Samantha, 3/5/2013 -
" This play is better in Russian, performed by Russians, but anyone reading it should do so aloud. The play says a lot about growing old, how we deal with aging in both body and spirit. "
— Allison, 12/18/2012 -
" A story of unsatisfying lives, elusive fates and the lack of the will to act. "
— Jamie, 9/28/2012 -
" This was read in my great books course and I truly got involved. Seeing the movie, which followed it exactly added much. The Russian darkness and the characters did come alive through the discussions. /they were there to -bserve and identify with, "
— Virginia, 12/31/2011 -
" A reading to analyze your life and your decisions. "
— Zaira, 8/20/2011 -
" I LOVE "Uncle Vanya". So much so that I used Vanya as the point of departure (and indeed destination) for my novel "Beyond The Valley Of Sex And Shopping". "
— E.P., 5/1/2011 -
" I listened to the free audio version from LibreVox. Some of the voices were a bit annoying but on the whole it was surprisingly good. The play conveys a great mood, full of spite and tension. The characters and the interplay between them is fantastic. "
— John, 3/29/2011 -
" I want to write a review really, but I can't remember what this book was like. The cover is pretty neat though. "
— Aroja, 3/22/2011 -
" I have read this many times. And every time, I get new meaning. Chekhov created the ensemble play about relationships, and life en famile. All his characters are the protagonist, at one time or another. This year Sonia stands out for me as valiant and wise. "
— Sherry, 2/16/2011 -
" Même si j'aime les personnages et le fond de l'histoire (pour les deux), c'est toujours très ardu de lire du théâtre! Soit ça nous ramène à l'école soit il est tout simplement évident que le théâtre est fait pour être vu et non lu! "
— Hayley, 7/26/2010 -
" One of my favorite Chekovs!--Well...aren't they all? Attempted murder AND attempted suicide! Ya gotta love Vanya! <br/>4.5 "
— Wayne, 3/12/2010 -
" ignore the edition stuff, I checked a book with nine Chekhov plays out from the library yesterday, and this was the first I read, and sigh, gasp, wow. "
— Mara, 2/10/2010 -
" I didn't really enjoy this at all. I found it pointless and a little confusing. I think I'd have to read some of the history behind it to understand it better. It's also possible I read a poor translation. "
— ~Sara~, 1/30/2010 -
" The comic tragedy of lost hopes and stifled passion set in 1890s Russia. Christopher Hampton's adaptation stars Robert Stephens. "
— Laura, 1/18/2010 -
" Not as wonderful as The Seagull, but the third act was absolutely beautiful. The themes he proposed (growing older and saving nature) were interesting and inspiring. I love Chekhov more everytime I read something new. "
— Ruby, 11/13/2009 -
" I think I liked it better than Three Sisters. Possibly my favorite Chekhov play so far. "
— Colleen, 10/2/2009
About the Authors
Anton Chekhov (1860–1904), the author of hundreds of short stories and several plays, is regarded by many as both the greatest Russian storyteller and the father of modern drama. He described the Russian life of his time using a deceptively simple technique devoid of obtrusive literary devices, thereby becoming the prominent representative of the late nineteenth-century Russian realist school. His early stream-of-consciousness style strongly influenced the literary world, including writers such as James Joyce.
David Mamet is one of the foremost American playwrights. He has won a Pulitzer Prize and received Tony nominations for his plays, Glengarry Glen Ross and Speed-the-Plow. His screenwriting credits include The Verdict and The Untouchables.
About the Narrators
Martin Jarvis, OBE, has recorded more than 150 Just William stories for the BBC. These have become international audio bestsellers. He won the Theatre World Award for his starring role on Broadway in By Jeeves; his West End appearances include works by Ayckbourn, Frayn, Pinter, and Wilde. Screen successes include everything from Stargate Atlantis, Doctor Who, and Numb3rs to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and the Oscar-winning Titanic.
Stacy Keach is perhaps best known for his portrayal of hard-boiled detective Mike Hammer. He played Ken Titus on the sitcom Titus, Warden Henry Pope in the hit series Prison Break, and has been seen in numerous film and stage productions. He won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Ernest Hemingway and starred as Richard Nixon in the US National Tour of Frost/Nixon. His performance in the title role of King Lear has received international acclaim.
Bleak December Inc. is a multimedia company founded by Canadian actor and filmmaker Anthony D.P. Mann.
Martin Jarvis, OBE, has recorded more than 150 Just William stories for the BBC. These have become international audio bestsellers. He won the Theatre World Award for his starring role on Broadway in By Jeeves; his West End appearances include works by Ayckbourn, Frayn, Pinter, and Wilde. Screen successes include everything from Stargate Atlantis, Doctor Who, and Numb3rs to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and the Oscar-winning Titanic.
Devon Sorvari is an Earphones Award–winning and Audie Award–nominated narrator. She graduated from NYU’s Circle in the Square program and the Classical Studio. She has nationwide theater credits ranging from Shakespeare to musicals.