Guild Hall in East Hampton will present a special screening of the National Theatre Live's Vanya on Saturday, April 19, offering local audiences the chance to experience a unique solo performance of Chekhov's classic play.
This reimagined version, directed by Simon Stephens and starring two-time Emmy nominee Andrew Scott, was filmed live during its sold-out run in London.
Billed as radical and new, this version of Vanya has been reimagined by Stephens, known for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Set in Russia during the late 19th century, the play explores the complexities of human emotions and is considered a tragedy.
Guild Hall's screening was filmed live during the show's sold-out run in London, featuring Scott (Fleabag's "Hot Priest" and Ripley's Tom Ripley) as he portrays multiple roles.
Tickets are $20, and the show runs from 7 to 9 p.m. at Guild Hall, 158 Main St., according to the website.
In an interview with South Shore Press, Guild Hall theater director Anthony Madonna discussed the timing of the screening, with Scott also appearing in Vanya live at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, an off-Broadway landmark.
“It is interesting to be able to see it in theaters right now presented as a film while the stage production is currently on Broadway,” he said.
Madonna, who is also Guild Hall’s curator of performing arts, said the goal of live screenings is to spark interest that leads viewers to Broadway. Guild Hall frequently shows live recordings from the National Theatre, especially in the colder months—most recently featuring the 60s’ thriller Dr. Strangelove followed by Oscar Wilde's comedy The Importance of Being Earnest.
Audiences can also experience opera and more through Guild Hall’s offering of The Met: Live in HD.
Of Stephens' Vanya adaptation, Madonna said, “It’s quite interesting to make it a one-person play with someone like Andrew Scott, who is in various television shows and movies, most notably Fleabag.”
He credited the National Theatre for its role in introducing new experiences like these to local audiences.
“The National Theatre has done a really incredible job of new stagings and new interpretations of classic plays. I think you could see that in the choices this year, and so introducing our community to plays that they know but through a different perspective.”
With tickets now on sale for the 2025 season, Madonna teased what audiences can expect in the coming months.
“The 2025 season is truly a Guild Hall for all seasons,” he said. “There’s offerings in dance from classical ballet to contemporary dance, looking at artists like Tiler Peck and companies like Gibney Dance, Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Co., Dance Theatre of Harlem, New York City Ballet.” He also mentioned evenings with Tony Award-winning talent like Jason Robert Brown, Shoshana Bean, Whitney White and John Cameron Mitchell. The lineup also features journalist/producer Candace Bushnell and highlights the celebrity autobiography of designer and TV personality Isaac Mizrahi.
“Then there’s lectures that really go into the creative process, and so there's a bit of something for everyone starting from Memorial Day through to Labor Day,” he said.
As theater director, Madonna considers it his mission to curate a season that reflects the community’s interests based on conversations with community members, leaders, nonprofits and his own colleagues. “I try to have all interests represented,” he said.
In addition to the programming that caters to a variety of interests, Guild Hall itself is worth the visit.
“Guild Hall was founded in 1931, and it has always been an arts center for performance, visual arts, and education,” he said. “At its core is a mission to educate and bring people together through the arts.”
Though it is an intimate venue, Guild Hall maintains the highest standards as it showcases both seasoned and emerging artists.
“That’s quite rare—to have a setting so intimate with such high quality as well,” he said.