Few things in this world match, or indeed even come close, to my love of Chekhov. What started out as a teenage crushed has blossomed and grown into an obsession with nineteenth century literature, notably that of Russia and France. My interest began in the world of Chekov’s masterfully witty short stories, and so you can imagine my excitement on hearing that the European Arts Company were presenting of five of his early dramatic pieces; “The Dimwit”, “The Bear”, “Swan Song” and “The Proposal”. These are somewhere between his short stories, with their fresh, light humour, and the darkly comic full length plays for which he is best known. Fascinating, then, for what they reveal of the progression of the writer. We can see Chekhov developing, changing his mind and views on how to make the best use of theatre, in these transition pieces.
The European Arts Company’s performance certainly did not disappoint. Although mid-way through a lengthy tour, the trio of actors were on top form, not noticeably tired or complacent, but able to bring a convincing freshness to the roles. Richard Lantham shone as the ageing actor Svetlovidov in “Swan Song”, with its darkly comic Chekhovian take exploration of how the old view death, and amused as the hard-done-by servant Luka in “The Bear”. Vivienne Rowdon and John O’Connor provided excellent romantic fodder in “The Bear”, “The Dimwit”, and “The Proposal”. This repetition was fascinating, giving us the same actors coupled in different situations, a kind of distorted mirror-effect, reflections echoing through the three as the performance progressed and subtly suggesting comparisons between the three situations. It almost seemed as if we were watching the same couple playing out alternative scenarios, other lives they could have led. In this respect the show was cleverly structured, with a clear emphasis on the issues of marital tension and challenging of gender stereotypes linking the individual plays, and giving the indication of a continuous whole, broken only by “Swan Song”, a brief interlude in the boy meets girl repetition. I did think this play was a little overdone in terms of acting, with the comedy of lines being thrust upon the audience. Admittedly it was a farce, but I think more naturalistic acting might have paid its dividends.
Overall, though, the acting was well received, and rewarded. The atmosphere in the studio was fantastic, bubbling up into raucous laughter by the final pieces. It was clear that all present left with the impression of an evening well spent. The European Arts Company bill this show as giving an introduction to the world of Chekhov. I’d say they’ve done a pretty good job. This is the real Chekhov, the Chekhov of light humour broken only by a scattering of darker shadows, not the deeply tragic playwright which performances of “The Seagull” and “The Cherry Orchard” would have us believe. Chekhov consciously wrote comedy, even in those dark, longer pieces, and this humorous edge is a fundamental part of his legacy. So in some ways “Chekhov’s Shorts” redresses the balance, putting the comedy back into Chekhov’s reputation for a new generation.
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