Uncle Varick on tour

Directed by Michael Emans, Rapture Theatre brings Uncle Varick to life. Set in 1960s Scotland, John Byrne’s reimagining of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya takes place in one house in the extreme north of the country, where Varick (Jimmy Chisholm) has slaved away for two decades to earn money to sustain his deceased sister’s ex-husband (John Stahl).

The plot is quite easy to follow, while the mood of each scene is framed quite well with renditions of Beatles songs by Dave Anderson. However, this adaptation seems to have a few problems in being translated to the modern realm. For example, Varick’s niece Shona (Ashley Smith) speaks of him as an intelligent man who sits up late at night reading Latin and other languages, which seems out of place from our modern understanding of what the 60s were. While it is a signifier of intelligence, it doesn’t seem to fit in entirely. Also, her conservative manner isn't entirely undesrstandable - including the final refuge in religious belief at the end - although it could be understood as residue from the 40s and 50s. 

Overall, Uncle Varick seems a good play to watch as an introduction to both John Byrne's work and to Chekhov's Uncle Vanya. It is easy to watch, in spite of its length. It's also quite refreshing to see the 60s - the "glorious golden years" - from a not-so glorious perspective. The choice of setting for the play, in a rural area, away from all the buzz and ‘excitement’ of the time, seems the ideal environment to allow this story to happen. [Eric Karoulla]