In the heat of summer, Sonya and her Uncle Vanya while away their days on a crumbling estate deep in the countryside, visited occasionally by the only local doctor Astrov. However, when Sonyas father, Professor Serebryakov, suddenly returns with his restless, alluring, new wife, declaring his intention to sell the house, the polite faa ades crumble and long repressed feelings start to emerge with devastating consequences. Olivier Award winner Conor McPhersons stunning adaptation of Anton Chekhovs masterpiece, Uncle Vanya, is a portrayal of life at the turn of the twentieth century, full of tumultuous frustration, dark humour and hidden passions. It premiered at the Harold Pinter Theatre in Londons West End in January 2020, directed by Ian Rickson. [Conor McPhersons adaptation is] perfectly weighted... does not radically reinvent or revolutionise Chekovs 19th century story. It returns us to the great, mournful spirit of Chekhovs tale about unrequited love, ageing and disappointment in middle age, while giving it a sleeker, modern beat. McPhersons script has a stripped, vivid simplicity which quickens the pace of the drama... Every character is fully realised, including the ancillary roles that bring more than comic relief... a perfect tragicomedy - Guardian As accessible as a TV drama, without ever betraying the great, melancholy, insightful soul that has made the play last for as long as it has. It is radical and revelatory without ever being gimmicky or insensitive... McPherson pulls off a feat of magical reinvention, and allows us to see the play anew - WhatsOnStage Succeeds resoundingly in making the turn of the 20th century cares of the original resonate today... the contemporary relevance is startling - The Arts Desk Nobody quite walks the tightrope between comedy and tragedy with the aplomb of Chekhov...