Timeless classics 'Uncle Vanya,' 'Miss Julie' get a fresh look at theater festival

Shanghai audiences will have the opportunity to experience fresh adaptations of classic plays, including Anton Chekhov's 1897 play "Uncle Vanya" and August Strindberg's 1888 work "Miss Julie."

These productions are part of the "Reinterpretation of Classics" theme at the Shanghai Jing'an Theater Festival.

The Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center has collaborated with award-winning Russian director Adolf Shapiro for the staging of "Uncle Vanya," which will run at the center until May 16.

"Rather than simply reproducing classical works, we aim to imbue their timeless themes with modernity," said Shapiro.

"The arts, including drama, explore love, death, and faith, which trouble the world."

He noted that Chekhov's realism in his writings stems from these themes.

In Shapiro's two-act adaptation of the play, Uncle Vanya has devoted his entire life to supporting his brother-in-law, Professor Serebryakov, sacrificing his youth and ambitions for him.

In his later years, he bitterly comes to realize that the professor is "mediocre." Meanwhile, his growing love for Yelena, the professor's young wife, causes him immense anguish.

Shapiro notes that dramatic exchanges over time capture zeitgeist aspects.

"Material abundance alone cannot provide happiness," he added. "True fulfillment stems from inner harmony, emerging through our connections with nature, others, and society."

"Julie," by International Theater Amsterdam, will be performed in Daning Theater from May 9 to 11.

Strindberg's masterpiece is adapted by British award-winning director Rebecca Frecknall, exploring class, power, and wild passions.

Julie is the rebellious daughter of a wealthy businessman. On a hot July night, John, her father's driver, wants to rebel. Christine, Julie's friend and John's wife, is standing in between them. A flirtation turns into a deadly stalemate in which no one survived.

Frecknall was captivated by the power dynamics between men and women on stage. She condensed the "one night tragedy" into a single scene set in a minimalist modern kitchen.

Julie was referred to in the nineteenth century as a "fallen aristocrat." In this modern rendition, she is both a bright prey and a powerful hunter.

Performance info

Uncle Vanya

Dates: Through May 16, 2pm/7:30pm

Tickets: 180-580 yuan

Venue: Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center 上海话剧艺术中心

Address: 288 Anfu Rd 安福路288号

Julie

Dates: May 9-11, 7:30pm

Tickets: 180-680 yuan

Venue: Daning Theater 大宁剧院

Address: 1222 Pingxingguan Rd 平型关路1222号