I love seeing plays in rep, with a company of actors performing multiple plays in rotation over a period of time. It's especially satisfying when the plays are related (e.g.,
the Guthrie's epic History Plays last year). But
Theatre Pro Rata is taking repertory theater one step further into something called
simultaneous theater. Not only are they doing two shows in rep, they're being performed
simultaneously! With the same cast! In the same building! On the stage of the Crane Theater, the funny and tragic and very human world of Chekhov's
Three Sisters is playing out, while at the same time in the lobby of the theater, Aaron Posner's
No Sisters is unfurling with the characters who are not on stage. After seeing the first one I reported that Theatre Pro Rata's
Three Sisters as a stand-alone piece is an excellent production of a classic play that feels modern and relevant and relatable. A few days later I saw
No Sisters and found it to be a delightful companion piece - similar in theme but very absurd and meta, giving us more insight into the minor characters. Note that the audience space in the lobby is limited, so if you want to see both plays
you should get those tickets now (and yes you do have to go back on another day to see it), but if you can only see one,
Three Sisters is an entirely satisfying experience on its own (although it may leave you wondering about the string of expletives coming from the lobby).
Three Sisters
This was my first experience with Three Sisters, and I have now seen three of Chekhov's big four (also including The Cherry Orchard, The Seagull, and Uncle Vanya). There's a reason these 100+ year old plays have stood the test of time; they're all about big families with complicated relationships who struggle to find love and purpose in their lives. Who can't relate to that? The titular sisters here are Olga (Kayla Hambeck), the eldest, an unmarried schoolteacher; Masha (Nissa Nordland), unhappily married middle sister; and Irina (Brettina Davis), the hopeful and optimistic youngest (spoiler alert: she doesn't stay that way). Along with their brother Andrei (Duck Washington), the sisters moved to a small provincial town from their home in Moscow 11 years ago with their beloved father, who died one year before the play begins. A lot happens over the four acts of the play, with a 1-2 year time jump between each one, with the sisters always longing to return to Moscow but never making good on their plans. They just get more and more mired in this provincial life that none of them wanted, with their unfulfilling jobs and unhappy relationships. But still, there is humor and lightness and connection to be found.
The two plays have different directors; Pro Rata's founding Artistic Director Carin Bratlie Wethern helms Three Sisters and does a beautiful job with this complex play. There's a huge cast of characters with long Russian names and nicknames (a quick glance at Wikipedia before the show wouldn't hurt, just to get the characters and relationships straight), but everything becomes clear and the scenes flow smoothly from one to the other, the storytelling continuing even through the act breaks (and intermission - note the fire). In this new translation by Cordelia Lynn, the dialogue feels modern and natural, the direction and performances supporting that feeling. There's really not a weak link in this cast that also includes Matt Wall as Masha's good but boring husband, Sam Landman as the soldier with whom she finds love, Marci Lucht as Andrei's unpleasant but very funny wife Natasha, Sean Dillon as a soldier named Nikolay in love with Irina (but who isn't in love with Irina?), Jeremy Motz as a socially awkward soldier named Vasily, Jonathan Edwards and Phi Hamens Nelson as a couple of young soldiers always hanging around ready to make merry, David Coral as the army doctor who was in love with the sisters' mother and therefore holds great affection for them, Margaux Daniel as Andrei's pestering colleague, and Meri Golden as the sister's elderly servant.
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Andrei (Duck Washington) with two of his Three Sisters
(Brettina Davis as Irina and Nissa Nordland as Masha,
photo by Alex Wohlhueter) |
The entire play takes place in and around the family home, with people coming and going at will. The stage has three distinct areas that all flow together - the dining room table where dinners and teas occur, the living room with a couple of couches, and an outdoor patio area, separated by tall windows. Characters are dressed in modern but classic clothing; they could be worn today but also hint at the last century, with the soldiers in military inspired jackets. Sound and lighting design contribute to the storytelling (including the aforementioned intermission fire effect), and the whole package feels very consistent, cohesive, and polished. (Set design by MJ Leffler, costume design by Andrea M. Gross, lighting design by Emmet Kowler, sound design by Jacob M. Davis, props design by Jenny Moeller.)
No Sisters
As it says in the title, no sisters appear in this play, in fact only half of the 14 characters in
Three Sisters make an appearance in
No Sisters. They are the same characters living more or less the same lives, but they know they're in a play and talk directly to the audience gathered around on couches and chairs in the fully lit lobby of the Crane. Like in
Three Sisters, they discuss philosophy and the meaning of life, some of them hopeful, some dark and desperate. We get to learn more about Andrei and Natasha's marriage, and Nikolay and Vasily's lifelong friendship, as they all appear in this play. Also appearing are Masha's husband, who is even more endearing here; the servant Anfisa, including a visit from her younger self (May Heinecke); the charming young soldier Alexey Fedotik; and the tortured soldier Vasily. The characters (and the audience) can keep an eye on
Three Sisters on the monitor showing what's happening on stage, sometimes commenting on the action. It's quite brilliantly written (by Aaron Posner, who also wrote the delightfully loose modern adaptation of
Uncle Vanya called
Life Sucks that Girl Friday Productions did two years ago) to fit the puzzle pieces of
No Sisters into
Three Sisters, and this production is a perfect fit.
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Natasha (Marci Lucht) and Andrei (Duck Washington) in No Sisters
(photo by Alex Wohlhueter) |
Julie K. Phillips directs
No Sisters, and while it is a different play than
Three Sisters there is still consistency between them, and it feels part of the same fabric. The logistics of pulling this off, with actors going back and forth between the plays, requiring precise timing, are quite impressive. All seven actors are great in this intimate space, just a few feet in front of us, sometimes speaking directly to the audience (it is a bit participatory, but in a non-threatening way). But in particular Meri Golden, Jonathan Edwards, and Jeremy Motz who have relatively small roles in
Three Sisters really shine here as they get to explore their characters and give them more depth. And if you were looking for Chekhov's gun, it's here in
No Sisters. The tragic conclusion happens off-stage in the original play, which means we get to watch it here, and it's devastating, but in a meta and fun way.
If Three Sisters was the only play Theatre Pro Rata was doing, I would still be quite happy with it and recommend it as a beautifully done production of a classic, with a modern and relatable feel. But it's not the only play, and if you're able to get the full simultaneous experience, it's quite rewarding, and the kind of thing that doesn't happen very often.
Three Sisters and No Sisters run simultaneously at The Crane Theater now through May 24. When I first saw the press release that said these plays were running simultaneously, I scoffed, "I don't think the word means what they think it means." Turns out they know exactly what it means and they're doing it! It's an impressive feat and I'm happy to report they've pulled it off brilliantly.
