Two big-stage productions will put different faces on Anton Chekhov’s “Uncle Vanya” this May, as the National Theater Company of Korea and LG Arts Center mount new versions with overlapping runs.
According to the theater community on April 10, the National Theater Company of Korea will stage “Vanya Ajjae,” while LG Arts Center will present “Uncle Vanya.” The source text is the same, but the titles signal different points of view.
Both productions will play in theaters with more than 1,000 seats, a rare head-to-head matchup for large-scale plays. “Vanya Ajjae” runs May 22-31, and “Uncle Vanya” runs May 7-31.
In “Vanya Ajjae,” Cho Seong-ha plays Vanya and Shim Eun-kyung plays Sonya. In “Uncle Vanya,” Lee Seo-jin plays Vanya and Go Ah-sung plays Sonya.
The split is not only in casting but also in how the central figure is addressed: “ajjae,” a colloquial Korean term roughly akin to “middle-aged guy,” versus “uncle.” A National Theater Company of Korea official said that while the term may have appeared in small venues or student productions, using “ajjae” in the title of a major-stage production is effectively a first.
The directors say they see Vanya through personal lenses. “Vanya Ajjae” is directed by Jo Gwang-hwa, born in 1965, who said he came to recognize himself — and the men around him — in the character. “Uncle Vanya” is directed by Son Sang-gyu, born in 1977, who said Vanya reminded him of his father.
Jo said he once preferred works driven by solemn, lofty ideas and disliked Chekhov’s focus on ordinary, sometimes bumbling people. With age, he said, Chekhov’s everyday life began to feel like his own story, bringing to mind the “uncles” who are part of daily life. He said even the seemingly shabby neighborhood “ajjae” once had a time of intense passion.
From that perspective, Jo said, “ajjae” can mean “me” and “us,” extending to family and the force that has held society together. He said he put the term front and center so audiences can relate without barriers and find comfort, while translating the original’s emotional tone into a Korean context.
Son said he saw his father in Vanya — someone who complains yet quietly fulfills responsibilities before finally erupting in anger. That view also shaped the casting, he said, citing Lee’s image from variety shows as someone who grumbles but follows through on what he takes on.
At a recent production presentation, Son said, “My father worked late and retired. Because he had to support the family, he used to say, ‘I’ve never even been able to take a trip.’” He added, “Who can casually judge that kind of life?” Son said he wondered whether people, like trees accepted as they are, might at least be more generous about their own lives.
Son said he focused on the relationship between Uncle Vanya and his niece Sonya, choosing “uncle” rather than “mister” for the title. An LG Arts Center official said there was no special intent, noting the original is “Uncle Vanya,” but added that because the uncle-niece relationship is central to the plot, Son also concentrated on that dynamic. The official said the production is expected to emphasize universality while presenting a modern, minimalist mise-en-scene.
Some in the theater world are also framing the pairing as a contest between experience and novelty. Jo is known as a veteran director who has worked across musicals and plays and has led large productions. Son, by contrast, is a newer director who debuted with the 2024 play “The Lives of Others,” and this “Uncle Vanya” will be his first large-theater production. Observers expect a freer perspective and a fresh reading of the classic.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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