What makes us most distinctively human, our reason or our emotions? How do we know when relationships with others are authentic, and when they’re just a matter of utility? Does civilization corrupt or improve us? Is honesty all it’s cracked up to be, or is lying a social inevitability? Which is more important to our happiness, love or work?
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 8:27 — 7.8MB)
Wes Alwan is joined by actress, podcaster, and educator Monica McCarthy to discuss Anton Chekhov’s 1898 play about family dysfunction and potentially wasting your life. Monica draws on her theater experience to talk about method acting and what makes for a good Chekhov performance.
This is a preview of a 54-minute discussion. You can listen to the whole thing by becoming a PEL Citizen or $5 Patreon supporter. Visit partiallyexaminedlife.com/support to learn how.
Regarding the humor in Uncle Vanya, Tuta Theater in Chicago did a great production a while back that really captured the comical side of the play. I highly recommend this clip as an illustration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpOLjT6bN9Q. I recently saw a fancier, more prestigious (and more somber) production of Uncle Vanya with Richard Nelson in New York, but frankly I preferred the goofier Tuta Theater version I saw back in Chicago.