'The Real Ivanov' Off-Broadway review — Chekhov’s classic gets a thrilling update

Read our review of The Real Ivanov off Broadway, an adaptation of Anton Chekhov's Ivanov running at the Lynn F. Angelson Theater through September 19 only.

Summary

• Laura Strausfeld's The Real Ivanov is an adaptation of Chekhov's classic drama
• Sam Underwood stars in the title role
• The show is perfect for fans of the Russian playwright or those who enjoy smaller and more intimate venues

Have you ever felt like you’re screaming into a void, and that nobody around you could possibly understand? Ivanov can relate. In The Real Ivanov, protagonist Nikolai Ivanov finds himself in the depth of a depression that would be just as alarming in 2026 as it was in the 19th century. This modern version was adapted by director Laura Strausfeld from renowned Russian playwright Anton Chekhov’s Ivanov, first written and performed in 1887 (albeit prior to major revisions) - a time when mental health was not treated with the same care and understanding as it is now. And unfortunately for Nikolai, his hapless friends and family don’t even know where to begin to truly help him.

The Real Ivanov begins with the device that Chekhov might be most known for: a gun, prominently featured and not yet fired. The threat of violence lingers for as long as there is a gun present. We open on Ivanov: Sam Underwood, a frightfully intense figure, whose every movement betrays his internal struggle with some unfathomable darkness spilling out from within him. As he reads on a bench at his country home, his estate manager and distant relative Borkin (a vibrant Sam Adegoke) approaches him silently with a shotgun pointed at his temple. When Borkin finally reveals that it’s a prank, breaking the climbing tension, there is a collective gasp of relief in the audience.

It’s just the first of many examples of this ensemble’s talent at building and breaking tension. As a cast, they are able to swing wildly, effortlessly, from farce to solemnity. In contrast to Underwood’s all-consuming brooding, characters like the brash Babakina (Kimberlee Walker) or the carefree Count (Jordan Lage) serve as comic relief. They also emphasize Ivanov’s isolation: nothing he says or does will get them to truly recognize just how low he has become. Meanwhile, characters like Dr. Lvov (Elijah Guo), young Sasha (an arresting Amelia Mason), and Lebedev (Spencer Aste) are capable of both comically misunderstanding Ivanov and maybe, just maybe getting through to him. But their ultimate failure to do so has grave consequences.

With a slew of characters and not much historical context given within the dialogue of the play, some of the relationships and the goings-on may be hard to keep up with. But what’s most striking about The Real Ivanov is how modern these relationships sound and feel (19th-century bigotry, and excellent 19th-century costuming by Ella Mazta, notwithstanding). Director Strausfeld and a strong cast make this adaptation feel alive, dangerous, and ripe for discussion.

The Real Ivanov summary

In late 19th-century Russia, Nikolai Ivanov’s life is falling apart. His wife Anna is dying of tuberculosis, and he is drowning under the weight of debts he feels he’ll never be able to pay off. As his friends and family try to offer solutions to restore him to the well-respected man they once knew and loved, it becomes increasingly clear that Ivanov’s malaise has no easy fix.

Director Laura Strausfeld, who credits the 1997 Lincoln Center production of Ivanov with igniting her love of Chekhov, adapted The Real Ivanov to be a more streamlined version of the original text, creating a fast-paced, one-act adaptation with no intermission.

What to expect at The Real Ivanov

The Lynn F. Angelson Theater, home to Classic Stage Company, is almost the perfect venue for this adaptation. Stripped down to the basics, there are very few props used throughout the play - though the fishbowl setting of the theatre ensures that whenever one of Chekhov’s infamous guns makes an appearance, every audience member can track where it is. Characters run in and out of scenes from every direction, resetting the mood each time new people enter. The staging is simple but highly effective, using one of two simple items like a bench or a rug to direct the characters’ flow of movement.

Perhaps the most visually interesting bit of staging is the finale, in which all the action happens on a single red carpet evoking the church aisle Ivanov is supposed to walk down with Sasha. As each character of the ensemble joins the scene, they squash together on this one long, skinny carpet, crushing comically past each other like they really are all squeezed into a tight space. Just as the squabbling rises to a din, Ivanov steps outside off the carpet into a liminal space. It’s a powerful visual that sets the tone emotionally for what he’s about to do.

What audiences are saying about The Real Ivanov

With a Show-Score audience rating of 59%, The Real Ivanov is proving to be as divisive as Nikolai Ivanov himself.

• “True Chekhovian experience - well acted” - Show-Score user Kristen Dolan-Murphy
• “The plot line was difficult to follow.” -Show-Score user david 2341
• “A modern, condensed version of a classic play that see-saws emotionally from laughter to despair.” -Show-Score user Karen 6235

Who should see The Real Ivanov

• Fans of Russian playwright Anton Chekhov will be interested to see this adaptation of his first written play, streamlined to 100 minutes to better suit modern audiences by director and Chekhov scholar Laura Strausfeld.
• Theatregoers who want to see plays that elicit deep thought and conversation
• The small, fishbowl setting of the Lynn F. Angelson Theater is quite intimate, perhaps a welcome change from larger Broadway theatres for anyone looking for a more up-close and personal theatregoing experience.

Learn more about The Real Ivanov off Broadway

Strausfeld’s adaptation is a sleek production of a classic play designed for modern audiences, brought together by a cast who work well together both comedically and tragically.

Learn more and get The Real Ivanov tickets on New York Theatre Guide. The Real Ivanov is at the Lynn F. Angelson Theater through September 19.

Photo credit: The Real Ivanov off Broadway. (Photos by Russ Rowland)