Uncle Vanya (Act 2), Week 3: "The Weight of Regret" - The Rehearsal Room - The Working Actor's Journey

Episode Transcript
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>> Libby (00:00):
This is the way I thought we might proceed tonight.
I think we'll finish the
read and stopping and talking,
and then we'll plan on, you know,
once again running it, in the last half hour.
I really want to
continue to pick through it a

(00:20):
little faster than we, because we only got a page and a half
done yesterday, I mean, last week.
so we'll go a little bit faster. But
I think that's what this little class
is about, which is figuring out how you go
about working out given
circumstances, motivation and how you play

(00:41):
this work and the way the
playwright is giving you clues.
I'm always looking for the clues that the
playwright gives us. I wanted to just for
a minute, go over the given circumstances that we've
already discussed, just to have it as a.
As a kind of backbone for what

(01:01):
we're doing. It's a midsummer stormy
night with humid and,
ah, electrons in the air.
And it's windy, but the wind is not giving relief.
The important idea is that it's a storm
that is not giving relief. And
it makes you more edgy when you're up and

(01:24):
not asleep on a night like that.
These people have not slept for at least two
nights because of, the
ailing professor.
everybody's exhausted. Everything is
exhausted. The samovar is
exhausted. they're irritable and they're
blaming the others, for their

(01:44):
situation. That's it. And we've all been
through that. We all know what that's like. And, you can't have
had every family gathering all cheery and
joyous without underneath, irritations
and anger going on somewhere in your
life. I can't believe that,
and this is something we talked about, but I think kind of

(02:05):
briefly, Ser Bryakov and
Yelena are there
permanently. That's what the given
circumstance of the play is. They have
left St. Petersburg or Moscow
and they have sold their place
there. We don't know that they've sold it,
but they've said goodbye to the.

(02:27):
To the city life, and they're going to
live in the country. And while they have come to the country
before, to their summer house,
this estate or this farm that they're living
on now, they've never permanently come there.
So. So that adds just heaps of
psychological, torment and

(02:48):
irritation, to.
And I can imagine for
Sonia, you
know, feeling joyous that her
father is there and feeling not
so joyous that Yelena is there. There's all kinds
of things that happened that
are happening now. That have to do

(03:10):
with this summer and this
night.
Given what the environmental conditions
are. The personal and physical conditions.
Because of the exhaustion. And,
the fact that they know they're never going to get rid of
Serbyakov and Yelena. Or so they think. We

(03:30):
know. The play goes somewhere else. But at this point, that's
what's happening to these people.
what else? Is there anything else that you think
that you want to add to this kind of given
circumstance? Anybody
else have any thoughts about that?
Okay. All right. Let's

(03:52):
dig in. I thought we would
go. You know what?
What the hell. Let's read the first page again. I promise not to
stop. Alison, you do the stage
direction.
I mean, I promise not to stop for the first page
and a half. But I promise you I will
stop. as we move along. So.

(04:15):
Okay. Cool.

>> Alison (04:18):
Act two. The dining room and Sarah Byakov's
home. Night in the garden. The watchman can
be heard tapping. Serebyakov sits in an
armchair before an open window and dozes. And
Yelena Andreevna sits beside him and also
dozes.

>> Alberto (04:35):
Who's there? Sonia, is that
you?

>> Sarah (04:40):
I'm here.

>> Alberto (04:41):
Are, you here? Notchka,
the pain is unbearable.

>> Libby (04:48):
Here.

>> Sarah (04:48):
Your blanket fell.

>> Alison (04:50):
She rocked all the gloves.

>> Sarah (04:52):
I'll shut the window.

>> Alberto (04:54):
No, I'm suffocating.
I was just nodding off. And I dreamt that
my leg was attached to someone else.
I woke up in such excruciating
pain. No, this is not
gout. Probably
rheumatism. What time is

(05:15):
it?

>> Sarah (05:17):
20 minutes after 12.

>> Alberto (05:22):
In the morning. Go look for Batyushkov in the library.
I'm sure we have him.

>> Sarah (05:27):
What?

>> Alberto (05:28):
Look for Batyushkov in the morning. I seem
to recall we have him. Why can't I
breathe?

>> Sarah (05:35):
You're tired. This is the second night you
haven't slept.

>> Alberto (05:40):
You say Turgenev developed angina
pectoris from gout.
I'm afraid I'm getting it too.

>> Libby (05:48):
Era. do you want him
to doze? Back off or you want to have a
conversation? What do you want when you say
you're tired?

>> Sarah (05:58):
Oh, I desperately want him to doze off again.
Sorry, what did you say? Libby.

>> Libby (06:09):
Then help him.

>> Sarah (06:10):
Okay.

>> Libby (06:13):
Let'S go. From look for Batushkov.

>> Alberto (06:17):
Look for Batyushkov in the morning.
I seem to recall we have him.
Why can't I breathe?

>> Sarah (06:25):
You're tired. This is the
second night you haven't slept.

>> Alberto (06:31):
They say Turgenev developed angina
pectoris from gout.
I'm afraid I'm getting it Too
damn, Disgusting. Old age.
The devil take it.
Now that I'm old, I can't stand looking
at myself. And I'm sure

(06:52):
all of you must be repulsed by me too.

>> Sarah (06:55):
You make it sound as if it's our fault you got old.

>> Alberto (06:59):
And I'm most disgusting to you.

>> Alison (07:03):
Walks away and sits at some distance.

>> Alberto (07:10):
Of course, you're right. I'm not
stupid. I understand. You're
young, healthy,
beautiful, you want to live.
And I'm an old man, almost a
corpse. True, I
understand all too well. And of course it's
a terrible crime I have lived this

(07:33):
long. But wait a little. Soon
you'll be free of me. I won't last
much longer.

>> Sarah (07:40):
I'm exhausted.

>> Libby (07:42):
Alberto.

>> Alberto (07:43):
Yes?

>> Libby (07:44):
Do you think that true is there with a question
mark?

>> Alberto (07:49):
Don't you agree, my dear?
Or please say something to
contradict what I'm saying.

>> Libby (07:56):
Maybe. And then. And she doesn't.
I'm not telling you to leave space forward.

>> Alberto (08:01):
I understand.

>> Libby (08:02):
For you to get other tactics. Right. All right,
let's go back from,
Let's say. Let's go back from the Turgenia
line. And angina pectoris, of course,
is very serious. It leads to a heart
attack.

>> Alberto (08:19):
So.

>> Libby (08:21):
Right, Alberto?

>> Alberto (08:22):
Oh, yeah, yeah.
They say t developed
angina pectoris from gal.
Damn disgusting. Old age.
The devil take it.

(08:43):
Now that I'm old, I can't stand looking at myself.
And I'm sure all of you must be
repulsed by me too.

>> Sarah (08:50):
You make it sound as if it's our fault you got old.

>> Alberto (08:54):
But I'm most disgusting to you.

>> Alison (08:56):
She walks away and sits at some distance.

>> Alberto (09:00):
Of course, you're right. I'm not
stupid. I understand. You're
young, healthy,
beautiful, you want to live.
corpse. True,
I understand all too well. And of course it's a

(09:22):
terrible crime I have lived this long.
But wait a little. Soon you'll be free of
me. I won't last much longer.

>> Sarah (09:31):
I'm exhausted.
For God's sake, be quiet.

>> Alberto (09:37):
Yes, everyone is exhausted
because of me. They're bored. They're wasting
their time. They're wasting their youth.
I'm the only one who's happy. I'm the
only one having a good time. Well,
yes, of course.

>> Sarah (09:53):
Be quiet. You've worn me
out.

>> Alberto (09:56):
Yes, you've worn everyone out. of
course.

>> Libby (09:59):
Stop one second, Sarah. Yeah?
You see how you earned that?
Yelling, at him in that moment. That was great.

>> Sarah (10:08):
Oh, good.

>> Libby (10:09):
Yeah. But you understand what I mean? You earned it by trying
your best before.

>> Sarah (10:13):
Yeah, yeah. Thank
you.

>> Libby (10:17):
Yeah. Good. Sorry,
Alberto.

>> Alberto (10:20):
No, of course I'm
fine. From where?

>> Libby (10:26):
Yes, yes, that's good, Alberto.
Go From. yes, everyone is exhausted.

>> Alberto (10:31):
Yes, everyone is
exhausted. All because of
me. They're bored. They're wasting
their time, wasting their youth.
I'm the only one who's happy. I'm the
only one having a good time. Well, yes,
of course.

>> Sarah (10:49):
Be quiet. You've worn me
out.

>> Alberto (10:52):
Yes, I have worn everyone out.

>> Deidre (10:55):
this is unbearable.

>> Sarah (10:57):
Sorry. Cut you off. This is
unbearable. What do you want of
me? Tell me what you want from me.

>> Alberto (11:07):
Nothing.

>> Sarah (11:11):
Well, then be quiet. I beg
you.

>> Alberto (11:16):
It's so strange. Ivan Petrovich
talks his head off, or that old idiot Maria.
Vasilyevna. And it's just fine.
Everyone listens. But when I
say one word, everyone suddenly
feels desolate. Even my voice
is offensive.

>> Libby (11:34):
I'm running past. Just, wanted to ask you
what a word. Desolate.
What do you think? Why would he choose that word, do you
think, Alberto?

>> Alberto (11:46):
gosh.
Desolate implies,
loneliness, being trapped all in a
desert island somehow. That's what the word means to
me.

>> Libby (11:56):
Yeah, yeah.

>> Alberto (11:58):
There.

>> Libby (11:58):
And it's extreme. It's an
extreme state. To be desolate is to be
bereft of everything, to lose everything. Right? As you say,
on a desert island.

>> Alberto (12:08):
Yeah, that's something.

>> Libby (12:08):
but I'm asking why you? Why you think.
Let's go back to the beginning of that speech
again. And I want you to think of why
you would choose that word.
It's a big word.
Big word is wrong. It's. It's a powerful
word.

>> Alberto (12:33):
It's like I,
My, My effect. My
effect on them is so
powerful.

>> Libby (12:44):
Yes, yes, yes.
For them poor. These
young, beautiful creatures.

>> Alberto (12:53):
Is it Petrovich or
Petrovich.

>> Alison (12:56):
Sorry, Ivan Petrovich.

>> Alberto (12:59):
Petrovich. I was saying it.

>> Howard (13:00):
Right.

>> Alberto (13:01):
Okay.

>> Libby (13:01):
And. And. Maria, Give, give hers too.

>> Alberto (13:04):
Vasily.

>> Alison (13:06):
That's correct, Maria Vasilievna.

>> Libby (13:09):
Vasily.
I only know these a million times, and I still can't get
them. Okay,
go back to that. Serov. It's so
strange.

>> Alberto (13:22):
It's so strange. Ivan
Petrovich docks his head off,
that old idiot Maria. Vasilyevna. And it's
just fine. Everyone listens.
But when I say one word,
everyone suddenly feels
desolate. Even my voice
is offensive.

(13:44):
Well, let's assume I am
offensive. I'm an egoist. I'm a
despot. Don't I have the right
to Be an egoist in my old age.
Think about it. Haven't I earned it?
I ask you, don't I have the right to
a, comfortable old age,
surrounded by my admirers?

>> Sarah (14:07):
No one is taking away your rights.

>> Alison (14:10):
The window bangs from the wind.

>> Sarah (14:12):
It's very windy. I'll close the
window.

>> Alison (14:16):
She closes it.

>> Libby (14:17):
Yeah. And I just want you to
go back and do that again.
Alberto, Very good. I just
wanted to say,
because I'm not far from his
position in life, you know, retired,
let go of all the in quotes, glories.

(14:40):
I know that this really hurts.
I just want you to
recognize where you can find that.

>> Alberto (14:50):
Yes, okay.
I guess I was covering it too much.

>> Libby (14:55):
Covering is good. Covering is excellent. But
I want you to also
recognize the position
when you say, haven't I earned the right to,
you know, being an egoist. you
have, you've. You've, you've had a,
in your view, a very important

(15:16):
career, right?

>> Alberto (15:18):
Mm, Yeah. Yes. Thank you.

>> Libby (15:23):
So start from. It's so strange. Again, Alberto.

>> Alberto (15:29):
Petrovich talks his head off.
Or that old idiot Maria,
Vasilyevna. And it's just fine.
Everyone listens. But when I say
one word, everyone suddenly
feels desolate.
Even my voice is offensive.

(15:52):
Let's assume I'm offensive. I'm an
egoist. I'm a despot. Don't I have the
right to be an egoist in my old age?
Think about it. Haven't I earned,
it, I ask you, don't
I have the right to a comfortable,
old age? Be

(16:13):
surrounded by admirers.

>> Sarah (16:16):
No one is taking away your
rights.

>> Alison (16:19):
The window bangs from the wind.

>> Sarah (16:22):
window.

>> Alison (16:26):
She closes it.

>> Sarah (16:29):
It'll rain soon.
No one's denying your rights.

>> Alberto (16:36):
All one's life to be. Oh,
do we need. We do. We want that.
We want that. Stage directions, right?

>> Libby (16:45):
Yes, yes.

>> Alison (16:47):
pause. The watchman in the garden taps and sings a
song.

>> Alberto (16:54):
All one's life to be dedicated to
scholarship, to become
accustomed to one's study.

>> Libby (17:03):
I just want to ask everybody, what do you think of the
watchman? We know he needs to tap
to say everything's okay there, but what about his singing the
song? What do you think, is going on
there in terms of the
atmosphere, what we've been
witnessing in the room and the
watchmen? Anybody have any

(17:25):
thoughts on that?

>> Corey (17:26):
it feels like a sharp contrast to what's going on
completely. Like something happy versus something very
Very sad and, heartbreaking.

>> Libby (17:34):
That's the way it feels to me too.

>> Sarah (17:36):
There's also, just, like. At least from
Yelena's perspective, there's hope that this
will change that. Like, okay, thank God. There's something
different, and we're going to stay on something different.
And the fact that he then slides back into things
is so utterly defeating.

>> Libby (17:53):
Yes. Great. Mounting the
evidence. Yes.
Okay.
M. I'm just pointing it out because I told
you. Even his stage directions are giving you clues to
what's happening inside you, inside
the scene. Okay,

(18:13):
let's go back to, It's very windy.
I'll close the window.

>> Sarah (18:20):
It's very windy. I'll, close the
window.

>> Alison (18:23):
She closes it,
it'll rain.

>> Sarah (18:29):
No one's denying your rights.

>> Alison (18:33):
The watchman in the garden taps and sings a
song.

>> Alberto (18:39):
scholarship. To become accustomed to
one's study, to the
classroom, to respected
colleagues. Suddenly, for no
apparent reason, to find oneself buried in
this tomb. Every
day to deal with stupid

(19:01):
people, to listen to
insignificant chatter.
I want to live. I
love success. I love
fame. I love
action. But here
I'm in exile. every minute

(19:22):
longing for the past,
watching the success of others,
fearing death.

>> Libby (19:31):
I cannot.

>> Alberto (19:34):
I, don't have the strength.
And no one can forgive me for being old.

>> Libby (19:43):
Wait a little.

>> Sarah (19:44):
Have patience. In five or six years, I'll be old
too.

>> Alison (19:50):
Sonia enters.

>> Deidre (19:52):
Papayou sent for Dastro,
but when he came, you refused
to see him. That's
so rude. You bothered
this man.

>> Alberto (20:05):
Why do I need your
Astroth?

>> Libby (20:08):
Hold on.

>> Alberto (20:09):
He understands this.

>> Libby (20:10):
Hold on one second.

>> Deidre (20:12):
Deidre.

>> Libby (20:12):
would you use Papa?

>> Deidre (20:14):
Papa?

>> Libby (20:15):
Yeah. And the reason I wanted
to do that is that it's
plainer than Papa.
And Vanya is the only one who
uses the French. Helene. And
we'll talk about that when we get to that. But
I wanted this to be simpler for her.

>> Deidre (20:35):
Yeah, okay.

>> Alberto (20:37):
while we're stopped.

>> Libby (20:39):
Yes.

>> Alberto (20:39):
Does. Is he making a little
weak pun with Ostrov's name and
astronomy?

>> Libby (20:47):
Oh, I don't know. That's a great choice.
I hadn't thought of that myself.
Honestly. That's great.
Yes.

>> Alberto (20:56):
It's not a good one, but,

>> Libby (20:59):
Good. I think I like him better than
you do. Alberto.

>> Alison (21:03):
Half past midnight. You know, give him some
credit.

>> Libby (21:08):
Definitely. I think that's. I think it's funny.

>> Deidre (21:11):
Funny.

>> Alberto (21:12):
Okay.

>> Libby (21:13):
Okay. Let's go back to,

>> Alberto (21:18):
Sonia enters.

>> Libby (21:20):
Yes. Sonia's entrance.

>> Alison (21:23):
Sonia enters.

>> Deidre (21:25):
Papa, you sent for Dr.
Astro, but when he came, you refused
to see Him?
That's so rude. You bothered this
man.

>> Alberto (21:36):
Why do I need your Astroff?
He understands about medicine as I do
astronomy.

>> Deidre (21:44):
We cannot send for the entire
medical faculty just for your
gout.

>> Alberto (21:50):
I won't talk to that idiot.

>> Alison (21:55):
Jewish, she said.

>> Libby (21:57):
Okay, hold on for a second, Deidre.
You not only came because you heard that
Papa still up, right? Came into
the room. But did you have
a reason for coming in?
Not just.

>> Alberto (22:15):
M.

>> Deidre (22:18):
I mean, I think it's hearing him and coming
to check in to see if anybody was in here with
him.

>> Libby (22:24):
Yeah. That's good. Then why do you bring up Astro
right away?

>> Deidre (22:29):
That. The fact that.
That Astrov has been.
He's been hanging out at the house, you know,
and he hasn't been in. You know. My assumption well
before is he hasn't had a chance to
see him. He's been turned away.

>> Libby (22:45):
He's been turned away, and it's the middle of the night.
And he still hasn't seen him. And Astrop still wandering around the
house. Yeah. Right.

>> Deidre (22:53):
And that, means that I have to m. I have to be aware of that.
So it's like, you know, If Astrov is there, then,
you know.

>> Libby (22:59):
Well, so. Yes,
yes, but you don't dare say that to yourself
yet. No, you're not there yet. I mean, you are.
No, she's not.

>> Deidre (23:09):
She's. Well, she. You know, I mean, that's.

>> Alberto (23:11):
It's.

>> Deidre (23:11):
It's in there somewhere. But nonetheless, it's. It's a
guest in her house that.

>> Libby (23:16):
She has someone that, you
know, is. You, Know,
doesn't hang out here. He does this
summer. That's what the effect of the summer is.
But he doesn't. He. He's a busy
man. He's. He's a doctor, for God's sake.
Kind of thing. Do you know what I mean? Right.

>> Deidre (23:34):
Yes. Yes.

>> Libby (23:36):
So maybe put that in your
reasoning for coming in too. To get him to see
Astro. Yeah.
Let's. Let's go. Go back to your
entrance, Dade.

>> Sarah (23:50):
Okay.

>> Alison (23:56):
Sonia enters.

>> Deidre (23:58):
Papa. you sent for that to. For
Dr. Astrop, but when he came, you refused to see
him. That's so rude.
You bothered this man who's.

>> Alberto (24:09):
Why do I need your Astro?
He understands about medicine as I do
astronomy.

>> Deidre (24:16):
We cannot send for the entire
medical faculty just for your gout.

>> Alberto (24:23):
I won't talk to that idiot.

>> Deidre (24:27):
As you wish.

>> Alison (24:29):
She sits.

>> Deidre (24:30):
It's all the same to me.

>> Alberto (24:32):
What time is it?

>> Sarah (24:33):
Almost one.

>> Alberto (24:35):
It's stifling.
Sonia, give me the drops from the table.

>> Deidre (24:42):
Yes, of course.

>> Alberto (24:46):
not These. I can't ask for
anything.

>> Deidre (24:49):
Oh, please stop acting like a
baby. It may be fine for others,
but spare me, please. I don't like it.
I don't have time. I need to get up early
tomorrow. I have the hay to
mow.

>> Alison (25:04):
Enter Voynitsky in a dressing gown and with a
candle.

>> Howard (25:08):
The storm's coming.

>> Libby (25:10):
One second, one second. Deidre,
this. Hm? Isn't this speech about stop acting like a
baby?
Is that the way you normally speak to him?

>> Deidre (25:20):
You know, No, I think she's just
tired, and it's been
relentless. It's just been
relentless.

>> Libby (25:31):
Yes. She's
normally an extremely nice
person, right?

>> Deidre (25:37):
Yes.

>> Libby (25:38):
Yes. So there's a fight in
her. All I'm saying is I want you to be
aware that, it's
costing you something to talk this way to him.
Okay, let's just go back and do that, and then
you're coming in.
Okay? Let's go from asking for the

(26:00):
drops. Alberto, please.

>> Alberto (26:04):
Sonia, give me the drops from the table.

>> Deidre (26:07):
yes, of course.

>> Alberto (26:10):
Not these. I can't ask
for anything.

>> Deidre (26:14):
Please stop acting like a baby. It may be
fine for others, but spare me, please.
I don't like it. I don't have
time. I need to get up early
tomorrow.

>> Julie (26:28):
I have to.

>> Deidre (26:29):
Hey.

>> Alison (26:30):
Timo Intervoynitsky in a
dressing gown and with a candle.

>> Howard (26:35):
The storm's coming.

>> Alison (26:37):
Lightning.

>> Howard (26:38):
Here we go. Helene. and
Sonia, go to sleep. I came to relieve you.

>> Alberto (26:43):
No, no, don't.

>> Libby (26:46):
I'm sorry. You know, it's hard. I'm
sorry. To be so hard on you to stop like this. It's a little harder
in the zoom, because in the room, you can
see me a little easier. But, this is
only our chance to do this.
Vanya, why do you.

(27:06):
Wait? I'm going back for a second. I just realized something.
Sonia is not in pajamas, is she?
She's not in a nightgown because Astrup
is in the house.

>> Corey (27:17):
Yeah.

>> Libby (27:19):
Not only to look nice, but also, you would never be
undressed in front.

>> Deidre (27:23):
Of a gossip right now.

>> Libby (27:25):
Not settled down? I. I guess I
started in my head thinking that she was in jammies, but, I
don't think so. That makes a difference. It's just
how vulnerable you are, how exposed you are.
Is in pajamas. Because
Chekhov asked him to come in in a dressing
gown and with a candle. So

(27:46):
he's tried. He hasn't been with.
With the Doctor the whole time. Right,
Howard? What do you
think?

>> Howard (27:55):
No, it seems like he's gone to,
It seems like he's gone to bed and maybe couldn't fall
asleep and was self medicating
to try to get himself to fall asleep and then just gave
up.

>> Libby (28:09):
It's not me.
Yeah,
that's not me.

>> Sarah (28:17):
Who's Alberto? He's muted.

>> Libby (28:20):
Okay,
fine. Wait. Say what you were just saying,
please.

>> Howard (28:28):
it seems like Vanya went to bed,
and was like. I want to say self
medicating in bed, was drinking in bed almost.
And, just gave up at
some point. I mean, I do this where I can't fall asleep, and then
finally, I'm just like. And I just get up and wander around the house and make
noise.

>> Libby (28:48):
Yeah.

>> Howard (28:49):
draw as much attention to myself as possible.
so it just seems like he's like, well, let me go see if anyone
wants to pay attention to me. I was wondering,
is he contradicting when she's. Does he hear
her say, I have the hey to mo? And is he
saying, the storm's coming.
You're not going to mow the hay?

>> Libby (29:08):
That's an interesting.

>> Howard (29:10):
I don't know what the Russian says, but,
if he overhears her, he could be like, the
storm's coming. Like, almost
contradicting Sonia a little bit.

>> Libby (29:23):
What does it give you? What does it get you?
Just a reason to come in.

>> Howard (29:30):
Maybe a little, Well, yeah, maybe, but
also, like, a little bit of. A little bit of
nudgey, know it allness, maybe, you
know, you're not going to mow the hay. The storm's coming.

>> Libby (29:42):
I see. Okay,
let's try that. That's. That's a great choice. Let's see what
that's like. Howard. so to do that this
time, don't read the stage direction there. Enter
Vanya. Allison.
Okay, so we can see how that
plays. Go from,

(30:03):
Sonia, can you go from stop acting like a
baby. Please stop.

>> Deidre (30:08):
Please stop acting like a baby. It may
be fine for others, but spare me, please.
I don't like it. I don't
have time. I need to get up early
tomorrow. I have the, hay to mow.

>> Howard (30:22):
No, the storm's coming.
Here we go. Helen and
Sonia, go to sleep. I came to relieve
you.

>> Libby (30:32):
Okay. That's a great choice.
It's a good entrance line, Howard.
You'll keep trying, see what you get from it. I
wanted to ask you about the Helene.
Using the French for her name. No one else in the
playground.

>> Alberto (30:48):
Helene.

>> Howard (30:49):
Uh-huh.

>> Libby (30:52):
You got a thought about that?

>> Howard (30:55):
well, the m. Mother. my
mother, she calls.
She calls me Jean. Several times. Right.
so maybe it's just like a
kind of leftover family
affectation. Is it a pet
name?

>> Libby (31:14):
I don't know.

>> Howard (31:14):
Elaine and
Sonia.

>> Libby (31:18):
I need you to be aware, to be able to make a choice
from it.

>> Howard (31:21):
Yeah.

>> Libby (31:22):
Because it is different than anything else. I
will say this. This is not a
regular farm family. These people have been
educated, and Vanya
has read a great deal. And knowing
French, is a mark of
education and
class. Societal class.

>> Howard (31:46):
Well, it also seems like
it's, something I picked up reading at this last time. It
seems like Vanya and the mother
and my sister had
traveled to St. Petersburg to
see them when they were there. And in St. Petersburg.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but. But there's a lot. At this

(32:07):
time, there was a lot more French, but, like, it was. It was a
metropolitan, cosmopolitan
thing. So maybe it's a leftover from,
like, knowing her
in a more cultured place.

>> Libby (32:22):
could be.

>> Howard (32:25):
somewhere. I think it's in Act 1. It's implied that he had been
they. When they first met her, it was in St.
Petersburg. Right. He knew her
from the city as opposed to.

>> Libby (32:36):
You have to make the reason for
it. That's the guess. Yes.

>> Howard (32:41):
And then. So she's more from
this other world. Right?

>> Libby (32:47):
Yes. She certainly doesn't belong on a
farm.

>> Howard (32:51):
Right.

>> Alison (32:52):
And Yelena is the Russian version of
Helen in the way that Ivan is the Russian version
of John or Jean.

>> Howard (32:59):
Right. Right.

>> Libby (33:01):
And, But the fact that he chooses to use the little bit of French,
it's slightly romantic, too. It's.
You know, he changes when he talks to
her. We're going to see the real him very
soon.
When he's alone and he talks,
we'll. We'll see him really revealed.

(33:22):
But, his attitude with her, he's
trying to get to first base.
Okay, let's do that again.
Sonia, please stop acting.

>> Howard (33:36):
He's trying to just get a hit. He's not.

>> Libby (33:41):
Not even. Can't even get onto the bases yet.
Okay.

>> Howard (33:44):
He's just getting all strikes.

>> Libby (33:48):
But wait a minute. I do want to say we have every
indication that there is a real
friendship between
the two of you. I think that's really
important because Yelena would not.
She is a gorgeous woman, and she has had
lots of admirers in her life,

(34:10):
and she wouldn't be able to talk to you and swat
you away the way she does if
she didn't know you as well as she did.
Does that make sense to you, too,
Sarah?

>> Sarah (34:22):
100%. Yeah.

>> Libby (34:25):
Okay.

>> Howard (34:31):
From where?

>> Deidre (34:32):
Please stop acting like a baby.

>> Libby (34:34):
Mm.

>> Deidre (34:37):
Please stop acting like a baby. It may be fine for
others, but spare me, please.
I don't like it. I don't
have time. I need to get up early tomorrow. I have
the hay to mow.

>> Howard (34:52):
No, the storm's coming.

>> Alison (34:55):
Lightning.

>> Howard (34:57):
Here we go. Here we go.
Helene and Sonia, go to sleep. I came
to relieve you.

>> Alberto (35:05):
No, no, don't leave me with him.
no. He'll talk my head off.

>> Howard (35:11):
But they've got to get some rest. They didn't sleep at all
last night.

>> Alberto (35:15):
Let them go to sleep. But you go,
too. Thank you. I implore
you in the name of a former friendship.
Just go. We'll talk
later.

>> Howard (35:28):
Our, former friendship. Former.

>> Deidre (35:31):
Be quiet, Uncle.

>> Libby (35:35):
What do you think that grin is? Howard with a
grin?

>> Howard (35:41):
I took it as he's, like, almost trying
to
entertain.
He's, like, trying to josh through it a little
bit for the benefit of Sonia and
Yelena.

>> Libby (36:00):
Well, that's a good point.

>> Howard (36:03):
Like. Oh, did you hear that? Our former
friendship.

>> Libby (36:06):
Yeah. Hm. That's. That's a
great choice. Let's go back to,
Let them go to sleep.

>> Alberto (36:15):
Well, let them go to sleep, but you go
too. Thank you.
I implore you in. In the name of a former
friendship. Just go.
Talk later.

>> Howard (36:29):

>> Deidre (36:32):
Be quiet, Uncle.

>> Alberto (36:33):
Vanya, my dear. Don't
leave me with him. He'll talk my head
off.

>> Howard (36:41):
Can you believe how ludicrous this is?

>> Deidre (36:44):
You ought to be in. Oh, sorry.

>> Alison (36:47):
Barina enters with a candle.

>> Deidre (36:50):
You ought to be in bed, Nanya,
Very late.

>> Julie (36:54):
The samovar is still boiling. You can't exactly
expect me to go to bed.

>> Alberto (36:59):
No one. M. Is sleeping. Everybody is
exhausted. I alone am in a
state of bliss.

>> Alison (37:06):
He goes over to Sarah Bikov, tenderly.

>> Julie (37:09):
What is it, my dear? Are you in pain?
My legs ache too.

>> Libby (37:15):
One second.
Can you see how all this leads up
to this soothing nurse?
It's very fractious in the air.
It's. Don't leave me with them. Oh, my
God. Get out of here. Get. And it's all leading
up to her calming the

(37:36):
atmosphere down. Finally calming the atmosphere
down. So let's go back and let's
build and see what that feels like, because it's a
little piece of music here. All leading to
Nanya. but
let's go from here we go.
Helene and Sonia. Or Helen. Sonia,

(37:56):
go to sleep. Anya.

>> Howard (38:00):
Here we go. Helene and
Sonia go to sleep. I came to relieve you.

>> Alberto (38:06):
No, no, don't leave me with
Him?

>> Libby (38:09):
No.

>> Alberto (38:09):
We'll talk my head off.

>> Howard (38:12):
But they've got to get some rest. They didn't sleep at all last
night.

>> Alberto (38:16):
Let them go to sleep. But you go too.
Thank you. I implore you in the name of a form of
friendship. Just go. We'll talk
later.

>> Howard (38:25):

>> Deidre (38:29):
Be quiet, Uncle Vanya.

>> Alberto (38:32):
My dear, don't leave me
with him. He'll talk my head off.

>> Howard (38:40):
Can you believe how ludicrous
this is?

>> Alison (38:44):
Irina enters with a candle.

>> Deidre (38:46):
Oh, you ought to be in bed, Nanya. It's very
late.

>> Julie (38:49):
Samovar is still boiling. Can't exactly expect me to go
to bed.

>> Alberto (38:53):
No, no one is sleeping. Everybody's
exhausted. I alone am, in a
state of bliss.

>> Libby (39:00):
Oh, God.

>> Alison (39:02):
He goes to Serebyakov.

>> Julie (39:04):

>> Deidre (39:07):
Mm.

>> Julie (39:09):
My legs ache too. They ache so.

>> Alison (39:12):
She adjusts the blanket.

>> Julie (39:13):
You've been in pain such a long time.
Vera Petrovna, Sonia's mother, may she
rest in peace, never slept either. She nearly
killed herself taking care of you.
She loved you very much. Oh,
yes.
Old people are like children. They

(39:35):
want someone to feel sorry for them. But no
one feels sorry for the old.

>> Alison (39:41):
Kisses him on the shoulder.

>> Julie (39:43):
Let's go to bed, my dear.
Let's go, my little boy. I'll
make you limelife tea. I'll warm your
legs. I'll pray to
God for you.

>> Alberto (39:58):
Let's go, Marina.

>> Julie (40:01):
My legs ache too. They ache.

>> Alison (40:03):
So she leads him together with
Sonia.

>> Julie (40:06):
Vera Petrovna nearly killed herself.
Always crying. You, Sonietzka, were still
little then. Come, my dear.

>> Libby (40:15):
Very, very, very good. And,
you can see how everything changes because of the
way she speaks to
him. Julie, I wanted to ask
you something. what do you think
about this? talking about
the wife that died? In front of the wife, that is.

(40:36):
I mean, I don't know
that she thinks about that, but. What do you think about
that?

>> Julie (40:43):
Oh, I think her main audience is
Yelena.

>> Libby (40:49):
Oh, interesting. I like
that.

>> Julie (40:53):
But. But Marina's very sly.
It's very covered with all these other things. I'm talking
to you, Sonichka. You
know.

>> Libby (41:03):
Well, that. It's pretty daring. That's a.
That's a really daring choice. That's very
interesting. I love it. Let's go back. Let's. Let's do that
again. Let's go. Let's go from. What is it,
my dear? Are you in pain? Okay.
That's Julie.

>> Julie (41:19):
Oh, what is it, my dear? Are you in
pain? My legs ache too. They ache so,

>> Alison (41:26):
She adjusts the blanket.

>> Julie (41:28):
You've been in pain such a long time.
Vera Petrovna, Sonichka's mother, may she rest
in peace, never slept either. She nearly
killed herself taking care of you.

>> Libby (41:40):
Uh?

>> Julie (41:40):
She loved you very much.
Oh yes.
Old people are like children. They want
someone to feel sorry for them. But no one feels
sorry for the old.

>> Alison (41:54):
She kisses him on the shoulder.

>> Julie (41:56):
Let's go to bed, my dear. Let's
go, my little boy. I'll make you some
limelife tea. I'll warm your legs.
I'll pray to God for you.

>> Alberto (42:10):
Let's go, Marina.

>> Julie (42:11):
M. My legs
ache too. They ache.

>> Libby (42:15):
So.

>> Alison (42:16):
She leads him together with Sonia.

>> Julie (42:19):
Vera Petrovna nearly killed herself. Always
crying. You Sonietchka. We're still little
then.

>> Libby (42:26):
Come.

>> Julie (42:26):
Come, my dear.

>> Libby (42:29):
Wonderful.

>> Alison (42:32):
Serebyakov. Sonia and Marina exit.

>> Sarah (42:38):
I'm completely exhausted with
him.
I can barely stand on my feet.

>> Howard (42:49):
You're exhausted with him and I with
myself. This is the third night I haven't
slept.

>> Sarah (42:58):
Something is wrong in this
house. Your
mother hates everything
except for her own pamphlets. And the
professor. The professor is
irritated. He doesn't trust me.
He's afraid of you.
Sonia is angry with her father, angry with me, and

(43:21):
hasn't talked to me for two weeks.
You hate my husband and openly hold
your own mother in contempt. I am short
tempered and have at least 20 times today started to cry.
There is something very wrong in this
house.

>> Howard (43:37):
Shall we cut the stop for a
second?

>> Libby (43:40):
That's really good. Sarah,
let me ask Yelena and
Sonia, why have
you been, Sonia, why have you been
cool and not loving towards
Yelena? Two
weeks, by the way, that tells us that they've been here already
two weeks.

>> Deidre (44:00):
Already two weeks.
I think, because I
see that this woman doesn't really love my
father. M is,
you know, she's not the help
that I would love for her to
be. She's not.

>> Libby (44:21):
M. Devoted like your mother.

>> Deidre (44:24):
She's not devoted like my mother.
so I think there's, you know, I
think even though they've been married for a while, I think
she's still suspect.

>> Libby (44:35):
Mm hm.

>> Deidre (44:36):
And. And
you know what. What is the. You know
what. What will she be walking away with? You
know, here's this young woman. I think there's a question
as to why. Why did you marry him? Because you
couldn't love. I mean, it wasn't. It couldn't have been love.
Right. Because they, you know, they had the conversation later.

(44:57):
So what's in the will?
You know, is she a gold
digger?

>> Libby (45:04):
Mm.
That's great. And you,
are you aware of
Astro's attraction
to her or not yet?

>> Deidre (45:19):
I. I think
that, my feeling is. Because he's been coming. The fact
that he's hanging around.

>> Libby (45:27):
Yes.

>> Deidre (45:27):
You know, it's like. My feeling
is he's a busy
man, you know, and you've never
hung around before, so now you're hanging
around, you know, you came and it's like,
don't you have somewhere else to go? You know?
And my feeling is you can't

(45:48):
not. You know, this is. I don't. I
don't know if this is the first time he's come out, but he's hanging
around.

>> Libby (45:54):
Yeah, yeah, yeah. And,
let me just say that
Yelena is the kind
of woman
who absolutely attracts every man in
the room. And, I
cannot. I had a couple of friends like that
and I adored them.

(46:15):
But sometimes it was difficult because
there was no real chance
to, you know, get
to know somebody because they're so attracted
to this unbelievably gorgeous.
And I don't want to push that right now, but that
has to be somewhere in the. You just.

(46:37):
Women like this are clear
to both women and men.

>> Deidre (46:42):
Yeah. Oh, yeah, Absolutely.

>> Libby (46:43):
That she's a flirt or a slut or anything
like that. She's just. No, it's just that
attractive people.

>> Deidre (46:50):
And there's. And there's, you know, I think there's. There's
awe and jealousy, you
know?

>> Libby (46:57):
Yes, there.

>> Deidre (46:58):
I mean, you know, it's like you're not. You're not
immune from, you know, I think even as a woman,
not being immune from another woman's beauty, you're seeing all the
things that you don't have.

>> Libby (47:08):
Exactly. Exactly.
Yes. And, we have to be
careful with that because Sonia is not
a jealous girl by nature. She's not, There isn't a
mean, spirit, spirited bone in her body. It
costs her to have to tell her
father just to lay off.

>> Deidre (47:28):
Right.

>> Libby (47:29):
It costs her because
that's not the way she
thinks or does things. You know, I mean, she's got an
incredible heart, but something
pushes a button with
Jelena. I wish we
were doing the scene between the two of you

(47:49):
because, it's so rich with
layering so many feelings from
each of you. Do you know.

>> Sarah (47:59):
Could I just say, too, it's interesting because
Sonia's 24, right. Or
around 24. So we've been married for
10 years. I've known her since she was a young
teenager, which Means,
you know, being a young teenager with, you know, a woman
who's in her upper 20s, I can see there is the potential for a very
different bond than the difference between

(48:22):
two adult women. And so it's very possible there
was a loving, you know, the
potential, if Yelena tried, and Sonia is
so sweet, for a loving relationship. And it's
only as this woman has grown up to being a
proper adult who loves men, that this tension
would have appeared. So it is. It's probably not

(48:42):
just the return of Yelena and the professor,
but it's the fact that she's in a very different place
than when these two first met and got to know each
other.

>> Libby (48:52):
That's excellent, Sarah.

>> Deidre (48:54):
That's great.

>> Libby (48:57):
Okay,
where were we?

>> Sarah (49:06):
Uncle Vanya, shall we cut the philosophy, please?

>> Libby (49:10):
Yeah, yeah, that's right. and I also wanted
to say, Sarah, that
you. You were. I thought you were
discovering and I'm giving
you props for this. that you were
discovering and letting that speech about
something is wrong in this house, letting it
happen rather than being

(49:32):
sure in advance of what you were going to
say. It's like it's happening now.

>> Sarah (49:38):
Good. Okay, great.

>> Libby (49:39):
Very, very good.

>> Sarah (49:41):
it was your note last week.

>> Libby (49:42):
So I'm glad I took that.

>> Sarah (49:48):
Props to you, Libby.

>> Libby (49:50):
Shut her up. Shut her up. Okay,
okay. let's go
from, Let's go from something is wrong in this house. What's
worse than somebody getting a compliment and then you have to do it?

>> Howard (50:02):
I know, I know.

>> Sarah (50:03):
Now I'm stressed.

>> Libby (50:06):
Sorry about that.

>> Sarah (50:08):
Oh, it's all right.
Something is wrong in this
house. Your
mother hates everything
except her own pamphlets. And the
professor. The professor
is irritated. he doesn't trust me.

(50:28):
He's afraid of you.
Sonia is angry with her father, angry with
me, and hasn't talked to me for two weeks.
You hate my husband and
openly hold your own mother in contempt. I
am short tempered, and at least 20 times today I have
started to cry.

(50:50):
There is something very wrong in this house.

>> Howard (50:55):
Should we cut the philosophy, please?

>> Sarah (50:57):
You, Ivan
Petrovitch, are
educated, intelligent, and
you must see that the world is not being
destroyed by thieves and fires
and wars, but rather by
hatred and hostility from all these

(51:17):
petty squabbles. You
shouldn't add to the noisy complaining around us. You
should be helping us find peace in your own
family.

>> Howard (51:27):
Help me find peace in myself,
my darling.

>> Alison (51:32):
He presses her hand to himself.

>> Libby (51:34):
Stop.

>> Alison (51:35):
She takes away her hand.

>> Libby (51:38):
Okay, let's get that
again. Do you mean it,
Howard? Help me find. Is that an end for you to
make a. Yeah.
Are we going to use metaphor all the way through?
Yeah. So go for it.
Go for these opportunities.

(52:02):
So, let's go from,
you, Yvonne. Petrovich.

>> Sarah (52:09):
Petrovich. Petrovich. Okay.

>> Libby (52:12):
Oh, is it.

>> Sarah (52:12):
No, no, no, I'm confirming. I couldn't
remember, but I wrote it, down. Petrovich.
I have Petrovich in my brain forever. Okay.
You, Ivan Petrovitch, are
educated, intelligent, and you must see
that the world is not being destroyed by thieves
and fires and wars, but rather by

(52:34):
hatred, hostility. from all these petty
squabbles, you shouldn't add to
the noisy complaining around us. You should be helping to find
peace in your own family.

>> Howard (52:46):
Help me find peace in myself.

>> Libby (52:49):
Try. Wait. Just try that again,
Howard. Go for it. There's an
opening.
Do you see?

>> Julie (52:59):
She.

>> Libby (53:00):
She gave you an opening. You should be finding peace in your
own path. Go for it.

>> Corey (53:05):
Okay.

>> Libby (53:06):
If you pause, she'll never let you.

>> Howard (53:10):
Oh. Okay. I thought I, It might. I. I think there might be
a lot of lag in my Internet. It felt like I.
Okay, I'm in a. I'm in a hotel.
Oh, wow.

>> Libby (53:20):
That's very
mysterious.

>> Howard (53:25):
I've been banished to a hotel. Now, can you give me.
Can you just give me that line and I'll try to come in.

>> Sarah (53:30):
I'll leave you in. And feel free to risk cutting me off.
Howard, that's totally fine.
You shouldn't be adding to the noisy complaining around us. You should
be helping to find peace in your own family.

>> Howard (53:42):
my darling.

>> Alison (53:46):
He presses her hand to himself.

>> Libby (53:48):
Stop.

>> Alison (53:49):
She takes away her hand.

>> Sarah (53:51):
Go away.

>> Howard (53:53):
Soon it'll stop raining, and everything in nature
will be refreshed and alive. I alone
will not be refreshed by the storm.
Day and night, I'm strangled by the idea that my,
life is irrevocably lost, that I'm
dead, that I wasted my life, that I spent my life on
trifles. Here, Take my life.

(54:15):
Take my love. What good are they to me? What have I done with
them? My feelings are dying away in vain. Like
sunbeams falling into a dark pit.
I'm dying.

>> Libby (54:26):
Okay, wait. Good. Let's just go back on that.
Howard. it switches from
I alone will not be.
Where was it that I wanted to put point out to you?
Day and night, I'm strangled by the idea that my
life. Yes, it's
interesting. In trying to reach her,

(54:47):
you begin to talk about your own
problems.

>> Howard (54:52):
Right.

>> Libby (54:54):
Just. I just don't Want you to gloss over. I'm
sorry.

>> Nathan Agin (54:57):
Uh-huh.

>> Libby (54:58):
I'm stopping. I just. This is my only chance
to tell you these things.
Okay. All right. So
let's go from, Go away.
Just from the. Go away, Sarah. To get.

>> Howard (55:10):
So can I ask them? Is there, like.
Is there a change in there? Soon it'll
stop raining and everything in nature will be refreshed and
alive. Tiny little
bi alone will not be refreshed
by the storm.

>> Libby (55:26):
I don't know. I don't know why there would be a pause there.
You can try it. But, I think it's all
coming out of him.

>> Howard (55:34):
Uh-huh.

>> Libby (55:38):
He's in a real midlife crisis. You
understand that, right?

>> Howard (55:43):
Yeah.

>> Libby (55:45):
He feels everything in his life is ruined.
Everything. And he's making a play for her as
fast as he can.

>> Howard (55:53):
Right. Okay.

>> Alison (55:54):
Would it help Sarah if I don't do the stage directions
there?

>> Sarah (55:58):
It might, if that's all right. Is that okay
with you, Libby?

>> Libby (56:02):
The reason I wanted the stage directions read
through this time. We're not going to do it when we do
the scene, you know. again,
I wanted you to know that that's part
of the fabric of the whole
thing. That's all. Okay, let's go
from Stop.

>> Howard (56:21):
Go.

>> Libby (56:22):
Wait. I know that's an awful place, but
how about.

>> Sarah (56:27):
You should add, to the noisy complaining.

>> Libby (56:29):
Yeah.

>> Sarah (56:32):
You shouldn't add to the noisy complaining around us. You should be
helping to find peace in your own family.

>> Howard (56:37):
my darling.

>> Libby (56:41):
Stop.

>> Sarah (56:44):
Go away.

>> Howard (56:46):
Soon it'll stop raining and everything in nature will
be refreshed and alive. I
alone will not be refreshed by the storm.
Day and night, I'm strangled by the idea that my life is
irrevocably lost, that I'm dead, that I
wasted my life, that I spent my life on trifles.
Here. Take my life. Take my love.
What good are they to me? What have I done with them? My

(57:09):
feelings are dying away in vain. Like
sunbeams falling into a dark
pit. I'm dying.

>> Sarah (57:18):
When you talk to me about your love,
I just go numb. And I don't know what to
say.
Forgive me. I have nothing to say to you.
Good night.

>> Libby (57:32):
This is just pretty. Pretty wonderful,
isn't it? He just been
talking to you about his wasting his life. And
you take it that he's talking to you. He is talking to you about his love,
but he's not directly. What I'm saying is these two
people are on two different planes.

>> Sarah (57:49):
It's the second man in 10 minutes who is
talking to me about his life wasting away without
any awareness of what my
situation might be.

>> Libby (58:00):
Yes.

>> Sarah (58:01):
That's horrifying.

>> Libby (58:02):
Wonderful, Sarah. That's wonderful.
Yes.
All right.
Howard, I'd like you to take the soon it'll stop raining
speech again. I think I may
have sent you down the wrong path. If I'm telling you to rush.

(58:23):
I'm not telling you to rush.
I don't want you to rush over those words.
Ideas.

>> Sarah (58:35):
Want me to lead you in again, Howard?

>> Howard (58:37):
Sure.

>> Libby (58:38):
Okay.

>> Sarah (58:40):
You shouldn't add to the noisy complaining around us. you should be helping
to find peace in your own family.

>> Howard (58:45):
Help, me find peace in myself. My
darling.

>> Libby (58:48):
Stop.

>> Sarah (58:51):
Go away.

>> Howard (58:54):
Soon it'll stop raining and everything in nature
will be refreshed and alive. I
alone will not be refreshed by this storm.
Day and night I'm strangled by the idea that my life
is irrevocably lost. That I'm dead, that I
wasted my life, that I spent my life on
trifles. Here.
Take my life. Take my love. What good

(59:17):
are they to me? What have I done with them? My
feelings are dying away in vain. Like
sunbeams falling into a dark pit.
I'm dying.

>> Sarah (59:30):
I just go numb and don't know what
to say.
Good night.

>> Howard (59:45):
If you only knew how I suffer from the thought that next to me, in
this very house, another life is dying.
Yours. What are you waiting for? What damn righteous
morality stops you? Don't you see,
Yvonne?

>> Sarah (59:56):
Petrovich.

>> Libby (59:58):
Petrovich.

>> Sarah (59:59):
Petrovich, you are
drunk.

>> Libby (01:00:03):
Yeah. That's really good, you guys.
It's good, Howard.

>> Howard (01:00:08):
Possibly
poss. Possibly.

>> Libby (01:00:14):
Oh, no. We can't just throw that away. We have to go
back to. If you only knew how I suffered.

>> Howard (01:00:21):
If you only knew how I suffer from the thought that next to me
in this very house, another life is dying.
Yours. What are you waiting for? What damned
righteous morality stops you?

>> Sarah (01:00:32):
Don't you see, Ivan Petrovich.
Petrovich, you're
drunk.

>> Howard (01:00:41):
Possibly.
Possibly.

>> Sarah (01:00:48):
Where's the doctor?

>> Howard (01:00:52):
He's here. He's spending the night.
Possibly.
Possibly. Everything is possible.

>> Sarah (01:01:02):
Why are you drinking so much?

>> Howard (01:01:05):
Because it makes me feel alive.
Don't try to stop me, Helene.

>> Sarah (01:01:11):
You never used to drink so much. And you never talked so
much. Go to sleep.
I'm bored to death of you.

>> Howard (01:01:20):
My darling. Beautiful.
Marvelous.

>> Sarah (01:01:24):
Leave me alone.
This is just disgusting.

>> Alison (01:01:29):
She exits.

>> Libby (01:01:30):
You know, this is interesting.
She says you never Used to talk so
much. Now Vanya is a talker. he has
been since the beginning of the play.
what do you think that is? Is it true that he's
talking more? What do you think,
Howard? What do you think, Sarah?

(01:01:51):
Anybody?

>> Sarah (01:01:54):
I don't think he used to talk about his love for
me like this.

>> Libby (01:01:59):
No.

>> Sarah (01:02:00):
And I wonder if that's what she means.

>> Libby (01:02:03):
That's a good point.
That's a good point.

>> Sarah (01:02:12):
And it's also possible it's
emotional. when he wasn't talking about his love for
me, it was. It was an amount of talking that I could
tolerate because we're friends. And now
because it's an unbearable topic.

>> Howard (01:02:25):
It is too.

>> Sarah (01:02:25):
Too much to listen to.

>> Libby (01:02:27):
Yes. And he's not never made
a pass at you before, has he,
Elena?

>> Sarah (01:02:34):
I don't know. I don't know.
Is there an answer in the play, or is that a choice that we make?

>> Libby (01:02:39):
It's a choice.

>> Sarah (01:02:41):
I mean, I definitely think it's been going on this
whole trip. This is certainly not the first night.
But I don't know about, like, previous
trips. My choice,
unless we change it, is that the
passing is this trip
so far. This is new for us, moving in, but it's not
the first night that it's happened.

>> Libby (01:03:03):
Great.

>> Howard (01:03:05):
I wonder.

>> Libby (01:03:08):
No, I was just gonna say in the first act, he
certainly tries to get you also,
but it's hotter if
it's all happening this summer, isn't it?

>> Sarah (01:03:18):
Yeah.

>> Libby (01:03:19):
Howard, I'm sorry. What were you starting to say?

>> Howard (01:03:22):
Yeah, I think just picking up off what you just said, I was
wondering is. Is this the first time they've
spent this much time alone together?

>> Libby (01:03:30):
Right. Good. That's a great question.

>> Howard (01:03:33):
Like, previous. Previous
visits maybe was a little more Shop
Around. I, don't know if that's the right word, but.

>> Libby (01:03:43):
So you were here. You.
You are the farm manager.

>> Howard (01:03:48):
Yeah.

>> Libby (01:03:50):
This is. This is the first time, probably
since the beginning of, you
know, all your life maybe, that you took off
this. You're taking off this time, and you're drinking. And,
it's all because everything's happening this summer. And
it's happening you and outside you.

(01:04:10):
So I have a feeling
that you and Yelena
have had a very different relationship than
what's happening to you now.

>> Howard (01:04:21):
Yeah. And I wonder
if in previous times,
the professor was just more
present. Could be who I was a little
more in awe of. if I
wasn't. I mean, just taking off of. You never talked so
much. Maybe it was just because,

(01:04:44):
the professor was There more.

>> Libby (01:04:47):
And I want to. Yes, and I want to
also stress that
you're a hard worker. That's why
it's so hard for Sonya to figure out, what
to do about you, because you're.
It's topsy turvy. You're not working,
you're not helping. She's got to do everything.

(01:05:08):
And while she's a very hard worker, the
world is shattering
for. And you
usually do your jobs.
Yeah, I think that's implied in the play,
that it's off base.

>> Howard (01:05:30):
Okay, so I had a question about,
Are the parts possibly. Is it like
you're drunk? And is. Is it like. Like,
is it is by saying it over and over, Is it like I can't
get it out? Is it like when you're drunk and you're
like, over, Possibly. Like,
is he trying to say. Say

(01:05:51):
it? I don't quite know how to play that
moment.

>> Libby (01:05:55):
I know exactly what you mean. Is it drunken behavior
or is possibly.

>> Howard (01:06:00):
Possibly, like it comes out wrong? Possibly.

>> Libby (01:06:03):
Possibly.

>> Howard (01:06:04):
Possibly.

>> Libby (01:06:07):
Yes. You can definitely try that
when we read through. Try that again.
Okay, I want to proceed because
big speech is coming up now.

>> Sarah (01:06:18):
Can I ask a quick question, Libby?

>> Libby (01:06:20):
Yes, ma'am.

>> Sarah (01:06:21):
About the where's the doctor? Line.

>> Libby (01:06:23):
Yes.

>> Sarah (01:06:24):
I'm wondering whether this is just an attempt at
a distraction or whether this is a. To help
with his drunkenness, because I don't know how
common it is for men to be this drunk.
I think it's common to be this. I don't know.
I don't know.

>> Libby (01:06:40):
They're drunk. Yes.
But, you know, you're usually in.
You're not up and around a house in
which men are getting drunk.

>> Sarah (01:06:51):
Uh-huh. So this is like a health question.
Like, let's find the doctor to sober you up.

>> Libby (01:06:59):
I don't know. Okay. I
don't know. That is a terrific question
to be asking, and that's something that you have
to find. I don't know the answer to it. I
honestly don't. But it's a
terrific question. Okay,
before you get started now on this
speech, I'm just a little worried about

(01:07:22):
time. So, I'm pushing ahead a little faster.
Howard, I want to point out to you
that. And it's all my fault. I did this. Chekhov
did not do this. I've
put this first part of the
speech, the first half of the speech
with you talking to her, an image of
her rather than

(01:07:44):
just expressing your feelings.
Do you understand what I mean? Uh-huh.
So you. You're. You're the unlucky guy
who has to find out
how to do that and why
you're doing that.

>> Howard (01:08:03):
Okay.

>> Libby (01:08:03):
Okay.

>> Howard (01:08:05):
It's usually in the third person, Is that what you're saying?

>> Libby (01:08:08):
Yes. the way he talks about the
professor, it's usually
which is in the third person.

>> Howard (01:08:16):
Right.

>> Libby (01:08:17):
But here he talks directly to her. An
image of her.

>> Howard (01:08:24):
I first met you 10 years
ago at My Darling Sisters,
remember? You were
17 and I was 37.
Why didn't I fall in love with you and propose to you
then? It would have been
so easy. And today

(01:08:46):
you would be my wife.
Yes.
Tonight both of us would be
awakened by the storm.
You would be afraid of the thunder. And I
would take you in my arms and whisper, don't be afraid,
little darling. I'm here.

(01:09:09):
Marlowe's M thoughts.
Wonderful. I'm laughing, but my
God, I'm so mixed up.
Why am I old?
Why doesn't she understand me? The way she
talks. Her stupid morality. Her stupid,

(01:09:29):
silly prattling about making peace in the
world. I hate it so much.
I've been deceived. I
worshiped that professor. That
pathetic, gout ridden idiot. I worked for
him like a slave. Sonia and I
squeezed every drop out of this estate. We were like

(01:09:51):
kulaks haggling over vegetable oil
peas, starving ourselves with crumbs just so we could save a few
copics to send to him. I was so proud of
him and his glorious scholarship. I lived for him. I
breathed for him. Every word he wrote or
uttered seemed like genius to me.
God. And now,
now he's retired and it has become perfectly clear that

(01:10:14):
the sum total of his life adds up to nothing.
Not one word of his, not a single scholarly
word matters to anyone.
A soap bubble.
And I've been swindled. I see that now.
Stupidly swindled.

>> Libby (01:10:34):
Okay, I'm going to want you to do it all again.
Good, good, good. Start on it,
Howard. It's very deep and it's very rich, isn't
it? I think
so. the
section, the first section in which you,
you know, put her right out there and, you know,

(01:10:56):
imagine leads to.
And today you would be my wife. Right? I mean,
that's. I just want you to find
that. I want you to let yourself
really find an image of her out
there for you, whoever her is for
you, and really see her
and make love to her with

(01:11:18):
this. Find it. And
the other thing I wanted to point out
is in the
pause after. I hate it
so much because everything is just crumbling
around. This is his big Falling
apart speech. We don't

(01:11:38):
get this from him again until the
fourth act when he's defeated. Defeated.
So this is this whole sequence,
Howard, is him
finding,
discovering,
secretly talking of his love and his
hate. And in that

(01:12:01):
pause is the turnaround from I hate it
so much to and oh, how I've been deceived.
So what I guess I'm asking is we can't,
we won't get there tonight. But I'd like you to try the whole,
whole speech again. And I'd like you
to, as you work on it

(01:12:21):
this week, recognize how
present it is, how
these thoughts are rushing through
you and you're seeing and feeling all of
this. I don't know if I'm saying anything that's
helpful, but this is a
nervous breakdown.

>> Howard (01:12:40):
Yeah,
she's gone.
I first met you 10 years ago at My
Darling Sisters, remember?
You were 17 and I was 37.

(01:13:05):
Why didn't I fall in love with you and propose to you
then? It would have been
so easy.
Today you would be my wife.
Yes.
Tonight both of us would be awakened by the

(01:13:28):
storm. You would be afraid of
the thunder. And I would take you in my
arms and whisper. Don't be afraid, little darling. I'm,
here.
Marvelous thoughts.
How wonderful. I'm
laughing.

(01:13:51):
Oh my God. I'm so mixed up.
Why am I old?
Why doesn't she understand me?
The way she talks.
Her stupid morality. Her

(01:14:13):
silly proudly about making peace in the
world. I hate it so
much.
I've, been deceived.
I worship that professor.

(01:14:33):
I worship that professor.
That
pathetic, doubt
ridden idiot. I worked for him
like a slave. Sonia and
I squeezed every drop out of this state.
we were like kulaks haggling over
vegetable oil peas, starving ourselves

(01:14:55):
with crumbs just so we could save a few copics
to send to him. I was so proud of
him and his glorious scholarship. I lived
for him, I breathed for him.
Every word he wrote or uttered seemed like genius to
me.
And now, now he's

(01:15:16):
retired and it's become perfectly clear that the sum total of his
life adds up to nothing. Not one word of his, not a
single scholarly word matters to
anyone. A
soap bubble.
And I've been swindled. I see that
now. Stupidly swindled.

>> Alison (01:15:39):
Enter Astrov. In a frock coat, without a
waistcoat and without a tie. He is
tipsy. Behind him is Tiliegin with a
guitar.

>> Alberto (01:15:47):
Play.

>> Julie (01:15:49):
Everyone is sleeping, sir.

>> Alison (01:15:51):
Play Tilyagin quietly
strums Are you alone
here?

>> Corey (01:15:58):
No. Ladies?
Go to the peasant house. Go to the
fire. There is no place for the master to
expire.
the storm woke me. Big
storm.
What time is it?

>> Howard (01:16:17):
Who knows?

>> Corey (01:16:19):
I thought I heard Yelena Andrevna's
voice.

>> Howard (01:16:23):
She was just here.

>> Corey (01:16:26):
What a gorgeous woman.
Medicines, Drugs.
There's nothing missing.
Kharkov, Moscow,
Tuskaya. Every
city is plagued with his gout.

>> Libby (01:16:42):
So each one of the, medicine,
bottles is from a different place.
Yes.

>> Howard (01:16:49):
Okay.

>> Corey (01:16:49):
Yes. Okay.

>> Libby (01:16:51):
That's where the city are coming
from.

>> Corey (01:16:54):
Okay, great.
Medicines, drugs.
There's nothing missing. Kharkov,
Moscow, Tulskaya.
Every city is plagued with his gout.
Is he really sick or is he faking it?

>> Howard (01:17:15):
Sick.

>> Corey (01:17:19):
Why are you so sad today? Pity
for the professor.

>> Howard (01:17:25):
Quit it.

>> Corey (01:17:27):
Or maybe you're in love with
the professor's wife.

>> Howard (01:17:32):
She's my friend already.
What does that mean, already?

>> Corey (01:17:38):
A, woman can only be friends with a man in this order.
First an acquaintance,
then a, lover, and then finally a
friend.

>> Libby (01:17:48):
Yes, that's good. Astro,
have. Are
you aware of your attraction
to Yelena by this point?

>> Corey (01:17:59):
Definitely.

>> Libby (01:18:01):
Uh-huh.

>> Corey (01:18:02):
I would. I would say so. I've seen her a couple times and
I know that I'm definitely interested.

>> Libby (01:18:07):
Yes.

>> Corey (01:18:08):
In her beauty. I don't know much about her
personally yet, but that
she's. Yeah, it is.

>> Libby (01:18:16):
It is wonderful that he is
so moved by beauty.
Beauty of the forest, beauty of a woman.
Yes. I think if
we were to continue to work this. It would be
important for you to know. Just, you
know, you're teasing Vanya because you

(01:18:37):
recognize that Vanya's got a crush on her. So
the question is, have you
yet. Do you discover it
when you talk to Sonia in the next scene?
When you. When? I, don't know. I
honestly don't know. But you would need to find that out.
Does that make sense to you, Corey?

>> Corey (01:18:57):
Definitely, yes.

>> Libby (01:18:58):
Because I can be moved by beauty.
your stepmother would, you know, move
me if. Is that a discovery? Or is
it here? Or where is this. In this teasing
of Vanya?

>> Corey (01:19:14):
I think it's trying to see
if. If he's like. He's teasing him because
he thinks he's interested, but it's like, why is he
interested in this woman? Because I know that,
like, astronauts, very, very attracted to
beautiful things, but he also is attracted to substance as
well.

>> Libby (01:19:32):
Yes.

>> Corey (01:19:34):
So I think it's. It's trying to discover if
there's more to her.

>> Libby (01:19:39):
Yes. That's great. Looking for
clues. Okay, let's. Let's go back on
this a little bit.

>> Howard (01:19:46):
do I See
his. Attract. Do I see his attraction?

>> Libby (01:19:52):
I don't know. Do you?

>> Howard (01:19:54):
Or the flirting?

>> Libby (01:19:57):
I don't think he's begun to flirt with her yet.

>> Howard (01:20:01):
Okay.

>> Libby (01:20:02):
I'm talking about, Astro.
Yeah, I don't
know. I don't know where things
are at this point in people's, You know,
we would need to discover that in rehearsal.
And you would do lots of thinking about that. But
he is teasing you, right?

>> Howard (01:20:23):
No. Yeah. Yeah.

>> Libby (01:20:29):
Okay, so let's go from, I thought I
heard, Yelena Andreevna's
voice. Corey.

>> Corey (01:20:36):
Oh, okay.
I thought I heard Yelena Andrea's
voice.

>> Howard (01:20:44):
She was just here.

>> Corey (01:20:46):
What a gorgeous woman. Woman?
medicines, drugs,
there's nothing missing. Kharkov,
Moscow, Tulskaya.
Every city is plagued with his
gout. Is he really
sick or faking it?

>> Howard (01:21:07):
Sick.

>> Corey (01:21:11):
Why are you so sad today?
Pity for the professor.

>> Howard (01:21:17):
Quit it.

>> Corey (01:21:18):
Or maybe you're in love with the professor's
wife.

>> Howard (01:21:22):
She's my friend.

>> Corey (01:21:24):
Already.

>> Howard (01:21:26):

>> Corey (01:21:28):
A, man can only be friends with a woman in this. A woman can only be friends with
a man in this order. First an
acquaintance, then a lover,
and then finally a friend.

>> Howard (01:21:39):
Vulgar. Oh.

>> Corey (01:21:44):
Yeah, this is true. I'm becoming
vulgar. I'm drunk.
Usually I get drunk like this once a month. And when I'm
drunk, I get completely vulgar
and fearless. Everything
seems so easy to me. I take on the most
difficult operations and do them brilliantly.

(01:22:04):
I make daring plans for the future.
When I'm drunk, I no longer seem like a freak. And I
actually believe I'm bringing some enormous benefit to
humanity. Enormous.
And when I'm drunk, I see how valuable my own personal
universe is. And the rest of you
piddling creatures seem like

(01:22:25):
insects,
microbes,
waffles.

>> Julie (01:22:30):
Play, dear one, I would love to
play for you with all my soul, but understand,
everyone is sleeping.

>> Alison (01:22:38):
Play, Talia again. Quietly
strums.

>> Corey (01:22:42):
You need a drink.

>> Libby (01:22:44):
Oh,

>> Corey (01:22:45):
Oh, yeah. I see there's some cognac left. In the
morning, we'll go to my place, right,
Char? I have a medical
assistant who never says right, but
right.
Shar88.

>> Alison (01:23:02):
Seeing Sonja enter.

>> Corey (01:23:04):
pardon me, I forgot my tie.

>> Alison (01:23:06):
Quickly, he exits. Tully again follows.

>> Deidre (01:23:10):
And you, Uncle Vanya, you got drunk again with
the doctor? A couple
of juveniles hanging around together. Well,
he has always been like that. But what
in heaven's name is wrong with you?
At your age, you should know better.

>> Howard (01:23:27):
Age has nothing to do with it. When
you don't have a life, you live on soap
bubbles. It's better than
nothing.

>> Deidre (01:23:38):
Our hay needs to be cut. It rains every
day. Everything is rotting. And all you talk about is soap
bubbles. You're completely
neglecting the farm. I
have to work alone. I'm strained to the
breaking point.
Uncle, you have tears in your eyes.

>> Howard (01:24:01):
Tears? It's
nothing. Nonsense.
The way you looked at me just now. Just
like your mother.

>> Alison (01:24:13):
Sweet, greedily kisses her hands
and face.

>> Howard (01:24:17):
My sister. My sweet, dear sister.
Where is she now? If only
she knew. If only she
knew what?

>> Deidre (01:24:30):
Uncle?

>> Libby (01:24:30):
What?

>> Howard (01:24:34):
It's so hard.
Nothing. Later.
Nothing. I'm going.

>> Alison (01:24:45):
He exits.

>> Libby (01:24:46):
Yeah. that ends our scene. I would
love to try to, run it all together
now. Just give this
nearly as much attention as I wanted to. It's Copex,
Howard, not Copex.

>> Howard (01:25:00):
Oh, okay. Copex. Uh-huh.

>> Libby (01:25:01):
Yeah. Corey, where does the right
jar come from? The first time you say
it, I think.

>> Corey (01:25:09):
I think it's like. Because I feel like I
play with him, my, medical assistant. Like, we're
friends, we have fun, we drink together and we have a good
time. So I say it too, but.

>> Libby (01:25:21):
Okay, that's great. I just didn't.
It's. I didn't know where it came from.

>> Corey (01:25:26):
Okay, I'll try that.

>> Libby (01:25:28):
Okay. Howard, you know
this last time when you said soap bubbles,
that was wonderful. Because
that image of soap bubble with a P
and a V,
is so unlike Vanya. He
would never describe his life as a soap

(01:25:49):
bubble. Unless. Do you know what I'm saying? Just the
words alone M happen for
him. And let me just tell you,
in general, you're not picking up your
cue. And that's the danger in
Chekhov, when he says pause, he means
pause. Yes, but cues are

(01:26:09):
really important to build these
sequences. So just in
general, pick up the cues. Okay.
All right. There's just so much to say, but we're not going to say it now.
Let's run the scene.

>> Nathan Agin (01:26:23):
Libby, do you mind if I jump in? I'm sorry to interrupt.

>> Alberto (01:26:25):
I just had.

>> Nathan Agin (01:26:26):
I wanted to suggest something, and this is
totally, your. Your call.

>> Howard (01:26:30):
But,

>> Nathan Agin (01:26:30):
And some of the actors might be familiar with this, this kind of
going off stage by turning off their
cameras. If you prefer to have everybody
on, you know, in full view the whole time.

>> Libby (01:26:41):
Yeah, but, I'm so
unpracticed with. That's okay on
zoom. So that's.

>> Nathan Agin (01:26:47):
That's why I'm here.

>> Libby (01:26:48):
I never thought about that.

>> Nathan Agin (01:26:50):
So. So, yeah, people can kind of can turn off their camera. Like, for example,
If I. Now I'm off stage, you know, for you to hear me.
But like. And then before I come on for my scene, I turn on
my camera and here I. Here I go. So you
can. You can use that for this next run through.
And if you'd like. but there's. Again, there's. You
don't have to do it. It's just kind of what you would like.

>> Libby (01:27:10):
I. I see what you mean. What do you guys think?
I'm sure you have more experience with this than me.

>> Deidre (01:27:16):
Let's try it.

>> Julie (01:27:17):
I like it. Yeah, let's try it.

>> Libby (01:27:20):
Don't come on late for your entrances,
so that you'll have to figure
out. Okay, I'm going off. Let's
go.

>> Alison (01:27:39):
Act two, the dining room in Sarah Bikoff's
home.

>> Libby (01:27:42):
Yes, we read Alison.
Yes, yes. Stay off
camera and, only
give, like this opening
stage directions.
Great.

>> Alison (01:27:58):
And none of the others.

>> Libby (01:28:00):
Right.

>> Alison (01:28:01):
Awesome.

>> Alberto (01:28:02):
Cool.

>> Alison (01:28:05):
Act two, the dining room and Sarah Berkov's
home. Night in the garden. The
watchman can be heard tapping.
Sarabukhov sits in an armchair before an open
window and dozes. And Yelena Andreevna sits
beside him and also dozes.

>> Alberto (01:28:22):
Who's there? Sonia, is that
you?

>> Sarah (01:28:26):
I'm here.

>> Alberto (01:28:29):
You.
The pain is unbearable.

>> Libby (01:28:36):
Here.

>> Sarah (01:28:37):
Your blankets fell.
I'll shut the window.

>> Alberto (01:28:42):
No, I'm, Suffocating.
I was just nodding off and I dreamt that my left leg was
attached to someone else. I woke up with
such excruciating pain.
No, this is not gout.
Probably rheumatism.
What time is it?

>> Sarah (01:29:04):
20 minutes past 12.

>> Alberto (01:29:08):
In the morning. Go look for Batyushkov in the
library. I'm sure we have him.
What look for but Yushkov in
the morning? I seem to recall we have him.
Why can't I breathe?

>> Sarah (01:29:21):
You're tired. This is
the second night you haven't slept.

>> Alberto (01:29:28):
They say Turgenev developed angina
pectoris. Pectoral stories from gout.
Turned disgusting. Old
age. The devil take
it. Now that I'm old, I
can't stand looking at myself.

(01:29:48):
And I'm sure all of you must be repulsed by
me too.

>> Sarah (01:29:52):
You make it sound as if it's our fault you got
old.

>> Alberto (01:29:55):
But I'm most disgusting to
you.
Of course, you're right. I'm not stupid. I understand.
You're young, healthy,
beautiful. You want to live.
corpse. True,

(01:30:19):
I understand all too well. And of course it's
a terrible Crime. I have lived this
long. But wait a little. Soon you'll
be free of me. I, won't last much
longer.

>> Sarah (01:30:31):
I'm exhausted. For
God's sakes, just be quiet.

>> Alberto (01:30:36):
Yes, everyone is exhausted.
All because of me. They're
bored. They're wasting their time. They're
wasting their youth.
I'm the only one who's happy. I'm the only
one having a good time. Well,
yes, of, Course.

>> Sarah (01:30:53):
Be quiet. You have
worn me out.

>> Alberto (01:30:57):
Yes, I have worn everyone
out. Of course.

>> Sarah (01:31:02):
This is unbearable.
Tell me what you want from me.

>> Alberto (01:31:10):
Nothing.

>> Sarah (01:31:15):
Well, then be quiet, I
beg you.

>> Alberto (01:31:19):
Petrovich talks his head off, or that old
idiot Maria, Vasilyevna.
And it's just fine. Everyone listens.
But when I say one word,
everyone suddenly feels
isolate. Even my
voice is offensive. Well,

(01:31:42):
let's assume I am offensive. I'm an
egoist. I'm a despot.
Don't I have the right to be an egoist in my
old age? Think about
it. Haven't I earned
it? I ask you,
don't I have the right to a
comfortable old age, surrounded by

(01:32:04):
my admirers?

>> Sarah (01:32:05):
window.
It'll rain soon.

>> Alberto (01:32:22):
scholarship, to become accustomed to
one's study, to the classroom,
to respected colleagues.
And suddenly, for no apparent reason,
To find oneself buried in this
tomb. Every day to

(01:32:42):
deal with stupid people,
to listen to insignificant
chatter. I want
to live. I love
success. I love
fame. I love action.
But here I'm in exile.

(01:33:04):
Every minute I'm longing for the. The
past, watching the
success of others,
fearing death.
I cannot. I don't have
the strength. And no one can forgive
me for being old.

>> Sarah (01:33:23):
Wait a little. Have
patience. In five or six years, I'll
be old too.

>> Deidre (01:33:33):
Papa, you sent for Dr.
Astroff, but when he came, you refused to see him.
That's so rude.
You bothered this man.

>> Alberto (01:33:43):
Why do I need your Astroff? He
understands about as much about medicine
as I do astronomy.

>> Deidre (01:33:51):
Well, we cannot send for the entire medical
faculty just for your gouts.

>> Alberto (01:33:57):
I don't want to talk to that idiot.

>> Deidre (01:34:01):
As you wish. It's all the same to
me.

>> Alberto (01:34:06):
What time is it?

>> Sarah (01:34:07):
Almost one.

>> Alberto (01:34:09):
It's stifling. Sonia,
give me the drops on the table.

>> Deidre (01:34:14):
Yes, of course.

>> Alberto (01:34:17):
Not these. I, can't ask for
anything.

>> Deidre (01:34:21):
Please, stop acting like a baby. It may be fine for
others, but spare me Please. I don't like
it. I don't have
time. I need to get up
early tomorrow. I have the hay to mow.

>> Howard (01:34:35):
No. The storm's coming.
Here we go.
Elaine and Sonya, go to sleep.
I came to relieve you.

>> Alberto (01:34:46):
No, no. Don't leave me with
him. No. He'll talk my head
off.

>> Howard (01:34:53):
But they've got to get some rest. They didn't sleep at all last
night.

>> Alberto (01:34:56):
Let them go to sleep. But you go
too. Thank you.
I implore you in the name of our
former friendship. Just go.

>> Howard (01:35:08):
Our, former friendship?

>> Libby (01:35:10):
Former.

>> Deidre (01:35:11):
Be quiet, Uncle Vanya.

>> Alberto (01:35:15):
I do. Don't leave me with
him. You'll talk my head off.

>> Howard (01:35:20):
Can you believe how ludicrous this is?

>> Deidre (01:35:25):
You ought to go to bed, Nanya. It's very
late.

>> Julie (01:35:29):
Samovar is still boiling. You can't exactly expect
me to go to bed.

>> Alberto (01:35:34):
No one is sleeping. Everybody is
exhausted. I alone am in
a state of bliss.

>> Libby (01:35:42):
Oh.

>> Julie (01:35:43):
My legs ache too. The ache.
So you've been in
pain a long time. Vera
Petrovna, Sonyachika's mother, may she rest in
peace, never slept either. She
nearly killed herself taking care of you.

(01:36:05):
She loved you very much. Oh,
yes. Old people
are like children. They want someone to feel
sorry for them. But no one feels sorry for
the old.
Let's go to bed, my dear. Let's go, my
little boy. I'll make you some limelife

(01:36:26):
tea. Lime leaf tea. I'll, warm m your
legs. I'll pray to God for
you.

>> Alberto (01:36:33):
Lets go, Marina.

>> Julie (01:36:37):
My legs ache too. Ache? So
Evara Petrovna nearly killed herself.
Always crying. You, Sonietchka, were
little then. Still little then. Come, come, my
dear.

>> Sarah (01:36:55):
I'm completely exhausted with him.
I can barely stand on my feet.

>> Howard (01:37:03):
You're exhausted with him, and I with myself.
This is the third night I haven't slept.

>> Sarah (01:37:10):
Something is wrong, in this
house.
Your mother hates everything
except her own pamphlet from the professor.
The professor is irritated. He doesn't
trust me. He's afraid of you.
Sonia is angry with her father,

(01:37:31):
angry with me, and hasn't talked to me in two
weeks. You hate my
husband and openly hold your own mother in
contempt. I am short tempered, and at
least 20 times today I started to cry.
There is something very wrong in this
house.

>> Howard (01:37:51):
Shall we cut the philosophy, please?

>> Sarah (01:37:55):
You, Ivan Petrovitch, are
educated, intelligent, and you must see the world is not being
destroyed by thieves and fires and wars, but
rather by hatred, hostility. From all these
petty squabbles. You shouldn't add to
the noisy and complaining about us. You should be helping us
find peace in your own family.

>> Howard (01:38:14):
Help me find peace in myself, my
darling.

>> Libby (01:38:18):
Stop.

>> Sarah (01:38:21):
Go away.

>> Howard (01:38:23):
Soon it'll be raining and everything in
nature will be refreshed and
alive. I alone will
not be refreshed by the storm.
Day and night I'm strangled by the idea that my life is
irrevocably lost, that I'm dead, that I
wasted my life, that I spent my life on
trifles. Here,

(01:38:45):
take my life, Take my love. What good are they to
me? What have I done with them? My
feelings are dying away in vain. Like sunbeams
falling into a dark pit. I'm dying.

>> Sarah (01:38:59):
I just go numb inside.
And I don't know what to say.
Good night.

>> Howard (01:39:17):
If you only knew how I suffer from the thought that next to me in
this very house, another life is dying.
Yours. What are you waiting for?
What damn righteous morality
stops you?

>> Sarah (01:39:29):
Don't you see, Ivan Petrovich?
You're drunk.

>> Howard (01:39:36):
Possibly.
Possibly.

>> Sarah (01:39:40):
Where's the doctor?

>> Howard (01:39:44):
He's here. He's spending the night.
Possibly,
Possibly.
Everything is possible.

>> Sarah (01:39:57):
Why are, ah, you drinking so
much?

>> Howard (01:40:02):
Because it makes me feel alive.
Don't try to stop me.

>> Sarah (01:40:09):
Never used to work. You never used to drink so
much. And you never talked so
much. Go to
sleep. I'm, bored to death
of you.

>> Howard (01:40:21):
My darling.
Beautiful, Marvelous.

>> Sarah (01:40:26):
Leave me alone.
This is just
disgusting.

>> Howard (01:40:39):
She's gone.
I first met you ten years ago
at, My darling sisters, remember?
You were 17 and I was 37.

(01:41:02):
Why didn't I fall in love with you and propose to you then?
It would have been so easy.
And today you would be my wife.
Yes.

(01:41:22):
Tonight both of us would be
awakened by the storm. You would
be afraid of the thunder.
And I would take you in my arms and whisper.
Don't be afraid, little darling, I'm here.
What marvelous thought. Hearts.

(01:41:45):
How wonderful. I'm
laughing, but my God,
I'm so mixed up.
Why am I old?
Why doesn't she understand me?
The way she

(01:42:07):
talks.
Her stupid morality. Her silly prattling
about making peace in the world. I hate it so much.
I've been deceived.

(01:42:28):
I worship that professor. That
pathetic, doubt ridden idiot. I worked for
him like a slave. Sonia and I squeezed every drop out
of this estate. We were like kulaks, haggling over
vegetable oil peas, starving ourselves with
crumbs just so we could save a few kopecks to send to him.
I was so proud of him and his glorious

(01:42:49):
scholarship. I lived for him. I breathed for him.
Every word he wrote or uttered seemed like
genius to me
now.

>> Libby (01:42:59):
How?

>> Howard (01:43:00):
Now he's retired, and it has become perfectly clear that
the sum total of his life adds up to nothing.
Not one word of his, not a single
scholarly word, matters to
anyone.
A soap bubble.
I've been swindled. I see

(01:43:23):
that now. Stupidly swindled.

>> Libby (01:43:26):
Play.

>> Julie (01:43:28):
Everyone is sleeping, sir.

>> Corey (01:43:30):
Play. Are you
alone here? No. Ladies,
go to the peasant house. Go to the
fire. There is no place for the master to
expire. The storm
woke me. Big storm.
What time is it?

>> Howard (01:43:51):
Who knows?

>> Corey (01:43:52):
I thought I heard Yelena Andreyevna's voice.

>> Howard (01:43:55):
She was just here.

>> Corey (01:43:58):
What a gorgeous woman.
Medicines, Drugs.
There's nothing missing.
Kharkov, Moscow,
Tulskaya.
Every city is plagued with his
gout. Is he really sick,
or is he faking it?

>> Howard (01:44:19):
Sick, huh?

>> Corey (01:44:25):
Why are you so sad today?
Pity for the professor.

>> Howard (01:44:29):
Quit it.

>> Corey (01:44:31):
Or maybe you're in love with the
professor's wife.

>> Howard (01:44:36):
She's my friend.

>> Corey (01:44:38):
Already.

>> Howard (01:44:40):

>> Corey (01:44:42):
A woman can only be friends with a man. In this
order. First an
acquaintance, then a lover,
and then finally. A friend.

>> Howard (01:44:52):
Vulgar.

>> Corey (01:44:53):
Oh,
yes, it's true. I'm becoming
vulgar. I'm drunk.
Usually. I get drunk like this once a month. And when I'm
drunk, I get completely vulgar
and fearless. Everything seems
so easy to me. I take on the most
difficult operations and do them

(01:45:15):
brilliantly.
I make daring plans for the future. When I'm drunk,
I no longer seem like a freak. And I actually believe I'm
bringing some enormous benefit to humanity.
Enormous. And when
I'm drunk, I see how valuable my own
personal universe is.

(01:45:37):
And the rest of you piddling creatures seem
like insects,
microbes, waffles.

>> Libby (01:45:45):
Play.

>> Julie (01:45:46):
Dear one, I would love to play for you with all
my soul. But understand, everyone is
sleeping.

>> Corey (01:45:53):
Play.
You need a drink.

>> Alberto (01:45:58):
Oh.

>> Corey (01:45:59):
Oh, I see there's some cognac left.
In the morning, we'll go to my place,
right?
I have a medical assistant who never says
right, but right. Sure.

>> Howard (01:46:16):
Idiot.

>> Corey (01:46:18):
Right jar.
Oh, pardon me. I forgot my tie.

>> Deidre (01:46:27):
And you, Uncle Vanya, you got drunk again with the
doctor. A couple
of juveniles hanging around together.
Well, he's always been like that. But what in
heaven's name is wrong with you? At
your age, you should know better.

>> Howard (01:46:44):
Age has nothing to do with it. When
you don't have a life, you live on soap
bubbles. It's better than nothing.

>> Deidre (01:46:54):
Our, hay needs to be Cut. It rains every day. Everything
is rotting, and all you can talk about is soap
bubbles. You're
completely neglecting the farm.
I have to work alone. I.
I'm strained to the breaking point.
Uncle, you have tears in your eyes.

>> Howard (01:47:16):
Tears? There's
nothing. Nonsense.
The way you looked at me just now. Just like your mother.
My sweet. My
sister. Sweet, dear
sister. Where is
she now? If only

(01:47:37):
she knew. Oh, If only she knew.

>> Deidre (01:47:40):
Knew what, Uncle?

>> Libby (01:47:43):
What.

>> Howard (01:47:47):
So hard?
Nothing. later.
Nothing. I'm
going.

>> Libby (01:48:03):
Great. Really good.
Really good. Corey, can you. Can
you. When you go to black, when
you take off your video, is there
a way that you don't have to have your,
picture?

>> Corey (01:48:18):
Yes, yes. I tried to change it right now, but I'm gonna have to go into the settings.

>> Libby (01:48:21):
Oh, no, you can do it for next week. That would be great.

>> Corey (01:48:23):
Of course.

>> Libby (01:48:24):
Thanks for the suggestion, Nathan. That was a very good
idea. I'd never be thinking about that right now.

>> Nathan Agin (01:48:29):
You're welcome, Libby. And actually, what. What you may.
Libby, what you may have turned on is there's a zoom setting
where you can hide what is called non video
participants. And, you and
I can walk through that if we need to. But
essentially, you don't see all the blank
black boxes. You only see the picture
of the people on screen.

>> Libby (01:48:52):
Yeah. What you mean? Well, do I have to
manipulate that?

>> Nathan Agin (01:48:57):
Yeah,
please. I think. I think if.

>> Howard (01:49:01):
Let's see. What is it?

>> Nathan Agin (01:49:02):
Oh, here, I'll go. I'll go off camera. I'll go off camera. And then if
you let me just.

>> Libby (01:49:07):
Give them a cup.

>> Alberto (01:49:07):
Just.

>> Nathan Agin (01:49:08):
Yeah, sorry, sorry, sorry. Go ahead.

>> Libby (01:49:10):
it was very good reading today, everybody.
You're really at a good place. I wish we
would continue forever. Vanya. Here. Take my
love, Take my life. You're rushing through
that. I know it's part
of a build, Howard, but
I don't want you to lose. You're. You're offering everything to
her, and you mean it in that moment.

(01:49:36):
No. Ladies, you, know, he purposely
kind of. Anybody here? Peek a boo
kind of thing. Yeah.

>> Howard (01:49:44):
Okay.

>> Libby (01:49:44):
Yeah. Are there any girls around?
piddling creatures leading up to
that? Corey, I want you to look at that speech this week.
I'm so sorry we don't have time to look it through,
but,
I want you to see that imagery and see
where it takes it. Not throw so much of that away.

>> Corey (01:50:06):
Okay.

>> Libby (01:50:07):
What happens to you when you have power in you because you
drink vodka?

>> Corey (01:50:11):
Oh, I see. Okay. Like, almost a God
complex.

>> Libby (01:50:15):
Yeah. And those moments my God. You see
the world. Yes. Okay,
take a look at that and see where it goes in that. Very,
very well done, everybody.
okay, Nathan,
great, great work.

>> Nathan Agin (01:50:31):
it's just so much enjoy. It's so enjoyable. Not only the
scene, which is coming along very nicely, but just. Just to listen
to the discussion. And I so appreciate and enjoy
everybody's, involvement and commitment
to that part of it as well. It's
really paying off quite nicely. So thank you
all for being part of this.

>> Libby (01:50:50):
Yes, thank you. All is right.

>> Corey (01:50:53):
Thank you, everybody.

>> Nathan Agin (01:50:54):
Great, great work.

>> Alberto (01:50:58):
Bye.

>> Sarah (01:50:58):
great work, everyone.

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Uncle Vanya (Act 2), Week 3: "The Weight of Regret" - The Rehearsal Room

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.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}Uncle Vanya (Act 2), Week 3: "The Weight of Regret" - The Rehearsal Room