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Arts & Culture

GREAT PERFORMANCES: Uncle Vanya (U.S. Premiere!)

The cast of "Uncle Vanya." Recorded in August 2020 from the Harold Pinter Theatre in London after the production’s sold-out run closed early due to the coronavirus pandemic, the play is directed by Ian Rickson and directed for screen by Ross MacGibbon. Starring Toby Jones in the title role and Richard Armitage as Astrov, the cast also features Rosalind Eleazar as Yelena, Aimee Lou Wood as Sonya, Anna Calder Marshall as Nana, Dearbhla Molloy as Mariya, Roger Allam as Serebryakov and Peter Wight as Telegin.
Courtesy of Johan Persson
The cast of "Uncle Vanya." Recorded in August 2020 from the Harold Pinter Theatre in London after the production’s sold-out run closed early due to the coronavirus pandemic, the play is directed by Ian Rickson and directed for screen by Ross MacGibbon. Starring Toby Jones in the title role and Richard Armitage as Astrov, the cast also features Rosalind Eleazar as Yelena, Aimee Lou Wood as Sonya, Anna Calder Marshall as Nana, Dearbhla Molloy as Mariya, Roger Allam as Serebryakov and Peter Wight as Telegin.

Stream or tune in Friday, May 7, 2021 at 8:30 p.m. & Sunday, May 9 at 2 p.m. on KPBS 2

Marrying the intimacy of the screen with the electricity of live theater, GREAT PERFORMANCES “Uncle Vanya” premieres nationwide Friday, May 7 on PBS.

Tony Award nominee Conor McPherson breathes new life into Anton Chekhov’s masterpiece with his acclaimed adaptation of the drama, portraying life at the turn of the 20th century filled with tumultuous frustration, dark humor and hidden passions.

Recorded in August 2020 from the Harold Pinter Theatre in London after the production’s sold-out run closed early due to the coronavirus pandemic, the play is directed by Ian Rickson and directed for screen by Ross MacGibbon.

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Toby Jones and Richard Armitage in "Uncle Vanya."
Courtesy of Johan Persson
Toby Jones and Richard Armitage in "Uncle Vanya."

Starring Toby Jones in the title role and Richard Armitage as Astrov, the cast also features Rosalind Eleazar as Yelena, Aimee Lou Wood as Sonya, Anna Calder Marshall as Nana, Dearbhla Molloy as Mariya, Roger Allam as Serebryakov and Peter Wight as Telegin.

“Uncle Vanya” begins as Sonya and her Uncle Vanya throw their lives into maintaining the crumbling family estate occasionally visited by the radical and inspiring local doctor Astrov.

However, when Sonya’s father, Professor Serebryakov, suddenly returns with his restless, alluring new wife, Yelena, long-hidden truths begin to emerge.

Watch On Your Schedule:

The episode will be available for streaming simultaneously on all station-branded PBS platforms, including pbs.org/gperf and the PBS Video App, which is available on iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Chromecast.

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Dearbhla Molloy, Anna Calder Marshall, Aimee Lou Wood, Rosalind Eleazar, Roger Allam, and Toby Jones in "Uncle Vanya."
Courtesy of Johan Persson
Dearbhla Molloy, Anna Calder Marshall, Aimee Lou Wood, Rosalind Eleazar, Roger Allam, and Toby Jones in "Uncle Vanya."

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Credits:

GREAT PERFORMANCES is produced by THIRTEEN Productions LLC for WNET. A Sonia Friedman Productions and Angelica Films co- production in association with BBC Arts. Producers are Sonia Friedman and Sally Angel; Executive Producer for the BBC is Emma Cahusac. For GREAT PERFORMANCES: Bill O’Donnell is series producer and David Horn is executive producer.