Lincoln Center Theater have started to release their back catalogue of recorded plays and musicals. The recordings of these productions were done for marketing and publicity purposes, but they are of a great quality that they have been edited and released for public viewing.
As Broadway is still experiencing an extended intermission due to the ongoing pandemic. Earlier this week a new production was released on Broadway on Demand, the 2013 Tony winning play, Vanya and Sonia and Marsha and Spike.
Vanya and Sonia and Marsha and Spike has an absolute stellar cast including Sigourney Weaver, David Hyde Pierce, Kristine Nielsen and Billy Magnussen, coupled with a very amusing and well crafted script created by Christopher Durang.
Vanya (David Hyde Pierce) and Sonia (Kristine Nielsen) live in their family home with housekeeper Cassandra (Shalita Grant). Vanya and Sonia are at a stage in their life where their parents have passed away and they are both single and not sure what is next for themselves.
Their parents were huge drama fans and named their kids after characters from Chekov plays, Vanya, Sonia and Marsha. Marsha (Sigourney Weaver) is a famed actor who travelled the world, but also supported her family.
Marsha returns to Bucks County to visit her siblings, but arrives with new boyfriend Spike (Billy Magnussen) and some surprise information about the family home.
Directed by Nicholas Martin, Vanya and Sonia and Marsha and Spike is a unique and quirky production that highlights the strange dynamics brothers and sisters have with each other, but also trying to maintain a relationship with each other once their parents have passed.
Written by Christopher Durang, Vanya and Sonia and Marsha and Spike explores the conundrum that people face with life when they question their purpose and they have become stuck in a routine and they need something to shake it up a little but also question strained relationships with siblings.
David Hyde Pierce as Vanya is entertaining, funny and just enjoyable to watch on in this role, even if he doesn’t enjoy getting his nipples tweaked by Spike.
Kristine Nielsen as Sonia is the epitome of bipolar depression. Nielsen perfectly executes the performance of an individual who is suffering, questioning and has a strong passion to smash coffee cups and impersonate Maggie Smith.
Sigourney Weaver as Marsha is so much fun. This is such a nice surprise. Having seem this performance in 2013, it was so great to watch it again on Broadway on Demand and Sigourney is just so good at comedy. Once this pandemic is over hopefully Sigourney will be seen more on stage, as she is a joy to watch.
Stand out performance is Billy Magnussen as Spike. His performance is hysterical. He encapsulated a young, buff wannabe actor who enjoys the attention of an audience and also enjoys making himself the center of attention. This performance is perfect eye candy but also makes light of what could be a very serious and dark play.
Vanya and Sonia and Marsha and Spike is a reminder of what is good about theater, a well written and developed play with an outstanding cast. Watching this production will make you miss Broadway but also make you excited about its return once this pandemic is finally brought under control.
Vanya and Sonia and Marsha and Spike is currently available on Broadway on Demand.
