This is Chekhov, but not as we know it. A modern "interpretation" by Christopher Hampton wants us to believe this is 21st Century Russia. But however much the production sets us in the present day, I just could not help the feeling that we were there in the 19th Century but they were wearing the clothes of today. This is not to say I didn't enjoy watching Prozorovs and their friends explore their unfulfilled lives in the provincial outpost of Perm. The ensemble acting was from the top drawer. I hoped and prayed that Romola Garai (see posting of 27th October) would tour with the production that opened at The Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith. And there she was sitting and reading on stage even as we took our seats. Her superb performance was matched by Clare Dunne and Poppy Miller as her sisters.
The production at the Oxford Playhouse is by Filter (a theatre collective who bring innovation to classic material) and director Sean Homes, artistic director of The Lyric. The staging combines exciting movement with a clarity of speech that is highly satisfying.
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