All by Themselves.

The article examines two contrasting one-actor theatrical productions in New York during spring 2025: Andrew Scott's solo adaptation of Anton Chekhov's *Uncle Vanya* at the Lucille Lortel Theatre and Sarah Snook's multi-character performance in Oscar Wilde's *The Picture of Dorian Gray* at the Music Box Theatre. Snook's technologically sophisticated production uses high-definition video and multiple onstage collaborators to explore themes of surface, identity, and artifice in Wilde's novel, while Scott's minimalist, solitary performance employs subtle physical and vocal shifts to evoke the emotional depth and interconnectedness of Chekhov's characters. The article highlights how these divergent approaches reflect the distinct thematic concerns of the original works—Wilde's focus on appearance and performative identity versus Chekhov's exploration of presence, absence, and empathy—and how the one-person format uniquely shapes audience engagement with each play.