An early variation on what would become "Uncle Vanya". More than many of Chekhov's plays, it seems to suffer a bit from an unevenness of tone. Chekhov was a master at fusing comedy and tragedy, but in this comparatively early work, the marriage seems a bit forced at times.
None-the-less, this more-serious-than-not play (and production) has its moments. Chekhov was second to none in seeing how families and friends could rip each other apart, without ever really seeing how hurtful their words and actions could be, just as developers and industrialists would destroy the forests for short term profit without thinking of how they leave the world in their wake.
Ian Holm – who I always love – is the title character, rabid about protecting what's left of the forests, but ironically unaware of the damage he does to the hearts of others. Holm is terrific, although the performance is arguably a bit theatrical for the world of small screen close ups.
The supporting cast is strong, although the characters don't seem as memorable as some of the other BBC Chekhov productions. If that flaw lies with the actors, the director, or the playwright himself was hard to ferret out on just one viewing.
Certainly worth seeing if you have an interest in the body of Chekhov's work, but not essential.
None-the-less, this more-serious-than-not play (and production) has its moments. Chekhov was second to none in seeing how families and friends could rip each other apart, without ever really seeing how hurtful their words and actions could be, just as developers and industrialists would destroy the forests for short term profit without thinking of how they leave the world in their wake.
Ian Holm – who I always love – is the title character, rabid about protecting what's left of the forests, but ironically unaware of the damage he does to the hearts of others. Holm is terrific, although the performance is arguably a bit theatrical for the world of small screen close ups.
The supporting cast is strong, although the characters don't seem as memorable as some of the other BBC Chekhov productions. If that flaw lies with the actors, the director, or the playwright himself was hard to ferret out on just one viewing.
Certainly worth seeing if you have an interest in the body of Chekhov's work, but not essential.
