Ivanov: Laughter and Sadness

The beginning of Trinity Repertory Company’s production of Ivanov caught me pleasantly off guard. The actors, accompanied by a group of musicians, break into song before the show’s main character, Nikolai Ivanov (Stephen Thorne), was wheeled onstage in a bathtub.

Ivanov, which opened in previews on September 4 and runs through October 5, is acclaimed Russian playwright Anton Chekhov’s story of a man whose life is crumbling all around him. Ivanov lives in a bleak environment in the Russian countryside. He is married to Anna (Rebecca Gibel), who is estranged from her family because she converted from Judaism. Anna becomes severely ill and is cared for by a country doctor, Yevgeny Lvov (Richard Williams). Ivanov is also in debt to a friend, Pasha Lebedev (Timothy Crowe), who is married to Zinaida (Anne Scurria) and whose daughter Sasha (Marina Shay) becomes infatuated with Ivanov. Other major figures in Ivanov’s life include his uncle, Count Matvey Shabelsky (Fred Sullivan, Jr.) and Misha Borkin (Joe Wilson, Jr.), the manager of his estate.

Ivanov is a deeply tormented man, who finds himself unable to deal with his wife’s declining health and seeks solace elsewhere. He is also helpless to resolve his financial problems. At one point, Ivanov describes himself as a “shadow floating among real people.”

Chekhov specializes in exploring the flaws in human behavior. Most, if not all, of the characters in Ivanov are pretty loathsome. The guests at a party thrown at Lebedev’s home spend their time gossiping about Ivanov and his problems while noting their boredom. Count Shabelsky schemes to marry the wealthy widow Martha Babakina (Angela Brazil). Dmitry Kosikh (Stephen Berenson) drives everyone crazy with his obsession with card games. Lvov berates Ivanov for the horrible neglect of his wife. Not surprisingly, Ivanov does not appreciate the criticism. The play shifts from bawdy comedy to stark tragedy, as the consequences of Ivanov’s actions come back to haunt him.

Trinity Rep’s stable of actors are, in my opinion, unquestionably the best in local theater and they do not disappoint in this production. Thorne is a convincing Ivanov, making him unsympathetic but always deeply human. Sullivan steals every scene he’s in with his gift for physical comedy and booming voice. Gibel is also superb at conveying Anna’s resentment of her husband’s philandering. Shay was also a standout, as Sasha boldly proclaims her love for Ivanov.

Director Brian McEleney, who is a longtime member of Trinity’s acting company, uses inventive staging for the production. The staging was in the round, with audience members sitting behind the actors in the performance area.

Toni Spadafora created some glorious-looking costumes for the actors. The original music by Ian McNeely nicely complemented the action on stage.

Ivanov is stunning entertainment and works as a perceptive look into human nature. It is a haunting mirror of the way we live and treat each other.

Ivanov plays September 4 through October 5 in Trinity Rep’s Dowling Theater. Subscriptions are now on sale at trinityrep.com, by calling 401-351-4242 or at the theater’s box office at 201 Washington St., Providence.