Because Chekhov’s plays convey the universally recognizable, sometimes comic, sometimes dramatic, frustrations of decent people trying to make sense of their lives, they remain as fresh and vigorous as when they were written a century ago. Gathered here in superb new renderings by one of the most highly regarded translators of our time—versions that have been staged throughout the United States, Canada, and Great Britain—are Chekhov’s four essential masterpieces for the theater.
Chekhov's lyrical plays and uproarious farces continue to entertain theatergoers nearly a century after he wrote them. From his early work The Seagull --a depiction of estranged love and thwarted passion that became a great success Stanislavsky's Moscow Art Theater--to his last, The Cherry Orchard --the poignant portrayal of a land-owning family unable to adapt to a changing society--all his plays masterfully combine both levity and pathos. But his comedic genius comes to fruition most fully in his short entertainments, such as the hilarious courtship between a hypochondriac and a shrew depicted in The Proposal. Putting a "slice of life" on stage, Chekhov's dramatic art evokes the painful loneliness of the human condition, yet unfailingly highlights the pretensions and absurdities that make us laugh--at ourselves.
Chekhov was a brilliant genius of classic short stories and plays. In this RBC’s edition his four most famous plays are translated into English. Those plays are:
1. The Seagull: This 1896 play won fame for Chekhov following its production at the Moscow Art Theatre. The work deals with the love of the fledgling playwright Trepilov in love with Nina who dreams of becoming a great actress. Nina falls in love with the famous playwright Trigorin running away with him. In despair, Trepilov plays a dead seagull which he has shot down at the feet of Nina. Two years later, Nina returns to the estate deserted by her quondom lover the scamp Trigorin. She declares that her life has been shot down just as the seagull was earlier brought down to death. Trigorin attempts suicide for the second time and is successful in this effort. The play is beautifully written and the theme of being busy with work is prominent. It is a play about the hard work necessary by a playwright as well as dealing with a tragic love story.
2. Uncle Vanya-This 1899 play deals with the kindly Uncle Vanya who has managed the estate of professor Serebryakov for many years. Vanya comes to realize that the lazy professor is an academic fraud. Vanya falls in love with the professor's lovely second wife Elena Andreyevna. She rejects him as a lover. The inept Vanya then attempts to kill the professor with a gun but fails. The professor forgives him though he agrees not to sell the estate which Vanya feared would occur. Life returns to normal.
3. The Three Sisters-The play deals with the boring lives of three sisters from Moscow: Olga, Masha and Irina who live in a provincial city of 100,000. The three women dream of returning to Moscow; fall in love with various officers stationed in the town but at the end of Act IV remain in their dull lives. The play deals with ordinary day to day existence. The lives of the characters are jejune as they yearn to be free of everyday responsibilities. They remind this reviewer of Thoreau's famous line about people living lives of "quiet desperation."
4. The Cherry Orchard deals with the forced sale of a beautiful Cherry Orchard by an aristocratic family experiencing hard economic times. The plangent sound of an ax cutting down the cherry trees ends the play.
All of these plays were written in four acts. Their major themes are the need for work even in a world where such effort might seem futile.
Chekhov's focus is on families of the lower aristocracy and middle class. He wrote on the eve of Russian revolution as the old way of life was about to pass from the scene forever
Out of respect for the author and the translator, I will refrain from mentioning other stories that could have been added in lieu of the ones chosen.
Maybe I'm being selfish in only giving four stars based on a personal opinion of the plays included, but, after all, that is why this is a review, right? Enjoy the book anyway. A great addition to your Checkov collection. Download the book here.
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