Despite the lack of a samovar and wistful-looking birches, Aaron Posner's engaging Life Sucks."the period is part of the title"is closely mapped onto Anton Chekhov's Uncle Vanya. In the haze of late summer, Sonia (Kimberly Chatterjee) yearns for the dashing Dr. Aster (Michael Schantz), while her uncle Vanya (Jeff Biehl) lusts after Sonia's stepmother (Nadia Bowers); Sonia's father (Austin Pendleton) pontificates and …
