Theater

Founded in war-torn Leningrad (St Petersburg) in 1944, the Maly Drama Theatre performed under the radar until the mid 1970s, when it began to attract well-known playwrights and directors-among them, current artistic director Lev Dodin. Acclaimed for his inventiveness, nuanced interpretations, considerable nerve (testing the limits of the Soviet party line), and for drawing fearless performances out of his renowned acting ensemble, Dodin continues to expand the repertory of the award-winning company.

The Maly Drama Theatre and Dodin celebrate the 150th anniversary of Chekhov's birth with his enduring tragicomedy Uncle Vanya, infusing this masterwork with remorse, sorrow, and bittersweet yearning. Embodying the fraught emotions and restive tenor of their characters, the highly attuned actors deliver every gesture, every utterance-even silence-to humorous and devastating effect.