Review – A Night of Chekhov
When one thinks of Anton Chekhov as a playwright, thoughts of The Cherry Orchard, The Seagull, and Uncle Vanya usually come to mind. However, there are also some short plays that Chekhov wrote which are rarely produced. These include Swan Song, The Proposal, and The Bear.
A New York City theater company, Duse Productions, is presenting a program which includes these short plays. Dedicated to the clear staging of classic works, Duse Productions lives up to their mission in this program titled A Night of Chekhov. It is playing now through June 28 at the Actors Temple Theatre in New York City’s theater district.
Billing for the show highlights that it is “A Swift 90-Minute Journey Through Anton Chekhov’s Rarely Produced Short Plays Swan Song, The Proposal, and The Bear.” The program runs approximately 90 minutes and includes one intermission. Under the direction of Sanio Kurtesevic, the cast for all three plays includes Luna Vintner, Jacob Goldbas, and Damian Cruces.
The result is a unique approach to theater where each of the three short plays keeps their own segment and ideas. There is no connection between the three except for the fact that Chekhov wrote them.
Times listed in the program are 25 – 30 minutes for each play.
The Three Plays
Upon entering the Actor’s Temple Theater, be sure to obtain the printed stage mag. This well developed program will help you better understand each of the three plays because a brief description is included. It also states that the 3 short plays are translated word for word from the 1887 – 1889 original Russian texts specifically for this performance.
Swan Song
As the production begins, the first play is Swan Song. An actor approaches the stage from the back of the venue up the center aisle carrying only a lantern to light the way. She is emoting sounds which indicate a strain is happening inside. Most of the venue’s lights are shut off.
Onstage, another actor enters also carrying a lantern but again no additional lighting. There is a concept for certain carried out here, but the lack of lighting makes it difficult to really make out who is who onstage. There is a poignant feeling from the emoting that the actors do; the sound is not pleasant.
The basis of the play is about an aging actor waking up in an empty theater after his farewell performance. He then finds himself face to face with his own legacy. The second actor mentioned above is an elder prompter who with the aging actor, discuss a final reckoning with time, talent, and other things unsaid. It is said that this play represents “Chekhov at his most intimate.” And it does feel as if we are looking inside at the souls of these people of the theater as they strive to gain an understanding of what their lives are about and have been about.
An Enjoyable Pause
There is a brief break between this first play and the second one to change the scenery. A Tchaikovsky masterpiece, Waltz of the Flowers, plays as the change takes place. The music adds to a moment of relaxation in the program.
Back to the Plays – The Proposal
Defined in the program as a masterclass in comic escalation, this play has many funny moments. One of these moments is the exaggerations of the actors in carrying out first the mission of making a proposal. Next, the desire of the woman to not accept is humorous as well. When the woman realizes it is a proposal, she changes her tune quickly. It’s funny to watch as she seems to be losing out on what might be her only chance for a marriage not because of her, but because of the misunderstandings.
The Bear
The Bear is very well developed and again, very well acted. It involves a creditor descending on a recently widowed woman. He demands payment for debts and he refuses to leave. She does not allow him to bully her. So the standoff becomes intense because he does not understand the strength and determination of this woman. There are some interesting surprises in this play but good acting again allows the play to make its point. Of the three, The Bear stands out as a more polished piece.
Go to See A Night of Chekhov
There is something a special about a show that has three unrelated pieces. It does give an opportunity to look more fully into Playwright Chekhov’s writing and imagination. The variety of this program is something audiences can enjoy.
Performances of A Night of Chekhov are on Thursdays at 8:00 PM, Saturdays at 3:00 PM and 8:00 PM, and Sundays at 3:00 PM.
Tickets range from $60 to $90 and are available here on Telecharge or by calling Telecharge at 212-239-6200.
Tickets may also be purchased at the Actor’s Temple Theater’s Box Office. This venue is located at 339 W. 47th Street, New York City.
