Uncle Vanya: the Team's report

We went to attend two performances of Conor McChekhov's Uncle Vanya at the Harold Pinter Theatre.

Ciarán's interpretation of Professor Serebryakov was deliciously nasty and snob, and Rae Smith's fine design added to the sense of danger suggested by the shrinking forests on Astrov's maps.

Uncle Vanya has opened

Ciaran Hinds in Uncle Vanya

Rehearsals have begun in November, with a lot of people whose names are familiar to Ciarán's theatre fans: Ian Rickson (director), Rae Smith (designer) and Stephen Warbeck (music).

In a recent interview for The Irish World, Ciarán discusses the play and his work with Conor McPherson, in whose plays he has often acted, and Ian Rickson who directed Brian Friel's Translations, in which he played a hedge school master.

Uncle Vanya is running at the Harold Pinter Theatre until 2 May.

Ciarán in Uncle Vanya in 2020

Ciarán will star next year in Conor McPherson's version of Anton Chekhov's 1897 masterwork of love displaced and dreams deferred, alongside Toby Jones as Uncle Vanya and Richard Armitage as Astrov.

Uncle Vanya will be directed by Ian Rickson (Translations), with design by Rae Smith, and music by Stephen Warbeck.

Originally written by Anton Chekhov, the play follows Sonya and her uncle Vanya in a countryside house, occasionally visited by the local doctor Astrov. Relationships soon become strained when Sonya's father (played by Ciarán) returns with his new wife, and intends to sell the house.

Previews will start at the Harold Pinter Theatre on January 14.

The Soldier's Tale in Kilkenny: the Team's report

Ciaran Hinds meeting us in Kilkenny We were at the Watergate theatre to attend two performances of Stravinsky's The Soldier's Tale.

Once more, he played all characters but the princess, alternating accents and voices, with his usual virtuosity.

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