Vanya (Or, 'That's Life!') presented by Rasaka Theatre Company at The Edge Theatre

Windy City Times - Recommended

"...The cast is the perfect mix of weird and extraordinary talent, evoking Chekov's original menagerie of nervous wrecks and giving us a richly diverse ensemble without breaking a drop of sweat. Rom Barkhordar brilliantly showcases his unusually backward journey from unhinged to full of hope as Vanya. Puja Mohindra's Sonya lets worry weigh on her heavily, like she's almost being smothered by her giant sweater. Tiffany Renee Johnson crosses over the line of sly manipulator and oblivious socialite so often she is a blur. Finally, Allison Cain and Raj Bond as Marina and Waffles seem to embody our basic need for rest and comfort so fittingly, it's hard not to be drawn in. Rasaka Theatre's Vanya is a perfectly strange ode to the original."

Picture This Post - Somewhat Recommended

"...The set being pulled away at the end releases the characters to make their own choices. The songs help contemporize Chekhov's work. And, breaking the fourth wall helps call the audience's attention to when the characters are questioning what's on stage. VANYA allows us to see that while there are some things you cannot change, you can also choose how you will take on these challenges. After all, that's life!"

NewCity Chicago - Somewhat Recommended

"...As an ensemble piece, the play generally works. Yet the tone of the play seems to require more thorough probing. Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya" has been famously ambiguous in genre, toeing the line between tragedy and comedy, realism and absurdism. Jadhwani's "VANYA" attempts to occupy the same position but, with all the characters overtly aware of the future that awaits them, the archness of the play threatens to spoil the balance with farce."