From left, Kelly Moore Clarkson, Robert San Juan and Molly Bower in Allen Contemporary Theatre’s ‘Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike.’ (Photo by John Mead)

Allen Contemporary Theatre opened the Christopher Durang play Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike last weekend. Directed by Chris Berthelot, the part comedy-part drama centered on a brother and sister who live together in the house they grew up in and the uproar their famous sister brings upon her visit with her boytoy. While family dramas can often reflect our own, Durang gives us a family we’d much rather observe than compare to. 

VSMS starts when Vanya’s quiet morning coffee is interrupted by his adopted sister, Sonia, who serves him coffee while expressing her feelings. Their mundane life is disrupted when their celebrity sister, Masha, arrives with her young lover Spike. The sibs’ parents named them each after characters in Chekhov plays thus VSMS included some sly theater humor. The siblings’ dynamics are challenged and changed at a costume party, and futures are predicted by the busybody housecleaner Cassandra.

Ultimately a story about family, Durang wrote about growing older, life decisions and a whole lot of regret in this play and Berthelot and his cast nailed those themes throughout last Saturday’s performance. 

Our first glimpses were of Vanya and Sonia. Settled into their routine, the two have also settled into a less than satisfying life. They are content with the lack of goings-on but damn, it’s hella bleak. Their motivations seemed to be just sitting around. 

Robert San Juan and Molly Bower cemented these characters with strong conviction. San Juan has a knack for picking characters that suit his stature and voice perfectly and Vanya was no exception. The gay, resigned middle-aged Vanya was a complacent but wise depiction that fit like a pair of baggy pants. San Juan found those nuances and gave the audience a full picture of who Vanya was. There were even echoes of Benny in Vanya, a character San Juan played in Uptown Players’ Silver Foxes.

Although the actor’s performance matched the character’s moments of excitement and passion, San Juan’s signature scene featuring an extended monologue felt somewhat disjointed. Vanya’s message carried a sense of disheartened despair, but its delivery felt protracted and overwritten.

As the adopted sister, Molly Bower also found the essence of Sonia. She was a bit of an Eeyore with some high-strung sensibilities, but Bower effectively conveyed Sonia’s frustration with life and utter loneliness. The surprise of her performance were the cutting bits of humor that resulted in big laughs. When it came time for the party, Sonia decided to embody Dame Maggie Smith in her role in California Suite which was delivered with perfection. 

In her portrayal of Masha, Kelly Moore Clarkson embodied the quintessential diva. As the character, Clarkson disrupted the lives of her siblings with whirlwind energy. She masterfully combined a playful campiness with the emotional depth of Masha’s burdened heart as the family’s breadwinner and her struggles with aging. When things didn’t go Masha’s way, Clarkson’s inner brat was brought to life as Masha indulged in grand posturing and extravagant gestures.

A magnetic Maxine Frauenheim delivered a funny performance as the voodoo-loving housecleaner Cassandra. Frauenheim popped in and out of scenes but always served up effective comedic gems of her forecasts or ritual dances. As the younger boytoy, Benjamin McElroy was enjoyable as the often less-clothed Spike. His portrayal gave us the right himbo vibes. As the neighboring young Nina, Caitlyn Cole was every bit mindful and demure. She gave a lovely and earnest portrayal of a woman who was more attracted to her “Uncle Vanya'” intellect and knowledge than to Spike’s aggressive attention as well as his pecs and abs. 

Under Berthelot’s direction, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike was well-crafted and engaging. The play’s pacing was excellent as the actors moved the story forward with a natural ease. The tender moments were sweet and the dynamics among the siblings/actors were heartwarming. The play felt reminiscent of episodic tv shows from decades ago with its blended human drama and comedy, which resulted in a satisfying watch.

The show runs through Oct. 20. 

–Rich Lopez