Vanya and Sonya and Masha and Spike
by Christopher Durang
The Provincetown Theater, Provincetown, Massachusetts
July 14 through August 28, 2025
This production of what might be considered Christopher Durang's most revived work was spectacular theater from curtain-up to curtain-call. The hyper-skilled ensemble cast merged with David Drake's seamless direction, making for a rivetingly hilarious evening of theater. The title does reference characters and themes from the work of Anton Chekhov, but Durang claimed, "My play is not a Chekhov parody...I take scenes and characters and put them in a blender." [Such references might provide momentary amusement for erudite theater goers, but are totally unnecessary for the unbridled enjoyment of this top-notch production.]
The setting is Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in a house in which middle-aged Vanya (William Mullin) lives with his sister Sonya (Jennifer Cabral), both of whom have spent their lives attending to their aged parents. With their parents now gone, Vanya and Sonya live their humdrum but carefree lives, bickering like an old married couple. Their housemaid is precognitive Cassandra (Hilarie Tamar), who makes dire predictions (and does a bit of voodoo to boot). The siblings' housemates secure-but-dull lives are disrupted when obviously insecure Masha (Susan Lambert), a successful, archly self-involved actress (apparently on the skids), arrives fresh from the termination of her fifth marriage. Masha is accompanied by her current "flesh in tow," Spike, a young man who is heart-stopping gorgeous, played to perfection by Jeff Brackett as the American Dream personified. Thickening the plot is the entrance of next-door neighbor, Nina (Lena Moore), a young aspiring actress. At first, Nina appears to be a dingbat, but she possesses a winning sincerity that dampens her obvious naivety. Nina is pretty enough to alarm imperious Masha with disturbing portents of Spike going for the "younger one". As the capricious Masha becomes increasingly hot and bothered, she seethes with a stream of resentments--culminating with the spur-of-the-moment declaration to sell the house that Vanya and Sonia have called home for their entire lives. In response, Sonya pleads, "Where will we live? Masha sluffs off Sonya's fear with, "In an apartment somewhere, I suppose."
Durang provides each character with a "moment" or set piece. Nina's moment is the reading of a symbolist drama, in which she portrays a molecule after the earth is destroyed. Prompted by Spike inconsiderately texting while Nina is speaking, Vanya explodes with an intense rant about America's cultural regression in media and communication, and itemizes the wonders of yesteryear. Most of the items Vanya references would bewilder anyone younger than 70, such as Señor Wences, the Spanish ventriloquist and puppeteer who was a staple of TV variety shows. (A youngin' might wonder what's a "variety show?") He also mentions "Kukla, Fran, and Ollie" (What say?). Masha's monologue reveals her resentment at never being taken seriously as an actress. (How about the riches she received as an unserious star?) Cassandra's moment is when, in order to stop Masha from selling the house, she, with great gusto, repeatedly jabs a long pin voodoo doll of Masha, causing her severe pain. Masha complains to Spike that he's always in his underwear. In response, he commences a wildly Modern dance routine, an un-striptease showing off his perfect body in delirious motion—all while keeping his underwear securely in place. Sonya's moment requires some background. It's revealed that Masha returned home to attend a costume party at a celebrity neighbor's home. Masha demands that they arrive at the party attired as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Disney style). Masha naturally will be Snow White, of course, and all others are to be the dwarves. Sonya rebels and costumes herself as the Evil Queen, envisioned, she declares, as Maggie Smith on the way to the Oscars. In an instant, she goes from Plain-Jane to a matronly grandam.
Finally, Masha realizes that Spike has been texting her personal assistant, with whom he's having an affair, and kicks him out of the house—and then announces that she no longer intends to sell the house. (Did the voodoo work? Did Masha just come to her senses?) The play now takes a sentimental turn when the three siblings, for the first time in apparently a long while, sit together listening to the Beatles song "Here Comes the Sun." Personally, I am a true believer in happy endings, no matter how rough or crazy the path may be to such a lovely conclusion.
Scenic designer Jenni Baldwin created an engaging backdrop for the entire action of the play. Stephen Petrilli designed the lighting, which was always perfect. Thom Markee designed the costumes and props as well as set dressing. Will Oxtoby served as stage manager, and Dean Denmon as production manager.
The play's program also extended "Special Thanks" to the set construction team, comprising Sean Flyr, John Gordon, Ian Leahy, Will Oxtoby, Lisa Weissmann, and Sophie Wheeler; and to the Platform Donors, Ken Albert and the Tennessee Williams Theater Festival. Special Thanks for Chalkboard went out to Heat Mac.
The New York Times of 2013 wrote that the play's audience in that year was treated to "broad comic acting raised to a level of high art." This superb cast replicated or surpassed that standard. Each of the characters could be considered cartoonish, were it not for the utter sincerity each actor brought forth in their roles.