National Theatre Live: Vanya

Wow. An amazing night in Liverpool. After seeing Vanya on stage I was not sure it would transfer to the big screen. How wrong I was. Andrew Scott's performance is as beautiful and heartfelt on screen as it was in the theatre. Watching it again transported me back to the theatre performance and the camera work brought the excellence of Scott's acting into sharp focus, I cannot remember what I paid for the theatre tickets but with train fares and other expenses it was in the hundreds. Full marks for the National Theatre for making this master class in acting and direction available to all, everywhere and at an affordable price. A must see. I am going again!

Took a while for me to care. In the beginning they were all boring, unpleasant, pathetic or vile. The only good thing about it was Andrew Scott's performance and the occasional humour. Which is what makes it a four star to be honest.

I don't remember much of Uncle Vanya, if anything, but I remember I felt so sorry for him. This play brings everything closer to modern day and the characters feel diminished and much less worthy.

Anyway, I liked the last half hour, when I could actually connect to and feel for some of these people. But truly the high marks are for the performance. I don't know if this gimmick was really needed and I might have empathized more if I had individual actors for the other roles.

I am torn about this version. Yes, Andrew Scott once again proves himself to be an excellent actor. However, the manner in which he portrays the characters-through endless mannerisms and antics-seems out of place to me. It cheapens the story and the heartbreak of the characters' lives, without adding any depth or additional layers to the adaptation. Some of the jokes and the aforementioned physical comedy make the characters so cartoonish by the end that the final scene-which, in the book or in a classical adaptation, should tear your soul apart-fails to have the emotional impact it deserves.

I think it's a nice adaptation to watch (just not for the first time) if only to witness Andrew Scott's acting prowess. Besides, it's interesting to see the story through this director's eyes. Personally, I don't regret watching it, but I have no desire to see it again.

To enjoy this version of Uncle Vanya, two conditions are essential:

• to be familiar with Anton Chekhov play;
• to be familiar with Andrew Scott manner to build his characters - his Hamlet can be useful prepair -.

Because , at first sight, it is a provocative version- one actor plays all the characters . The manner to do that is not real surprising - the accent on humor sides of each character was present in other adaptations. And Mr. Scott knows to use each nuance in fair - precise manner, fair reminding the play itself and its versions.

But, obvious, it is only an experiment, perfect for Andrew Scott who use, in brilliant way, entire liberty offered by lines , meanings of words and context.

Iloved the final of play, maybe little strident in this case but beautiful crafted.

So, no doubts, Andrew Scott deserves his Vanya and this play is the precious pledge for it.

Andrew Scott is earth-shattering in this extraordinary performance of Vanya, seamlessly morphing from one character to the next, until the only character in the play becomes an amalgam of all of the human tragedy and pain and anger and despair, in a myriad of embodiments. This is a performance like none I have ever seen. Every character becomes just a facet of a single creature, a hybrid of Vanya, and Sonya, and Alexander and all the rest. Andrew Scott is merciless in high-jacking your attention, and your emotions, your entire being, and submerging you inside this extraordinary Chekov tragedy. Andre Scott's acting is a gift for anyone taking the trouble to see.