Chekhov’s Three Other Sisters — A performance by the ETO Theater

“Chekhov: The Other Three Sisters” — a performance by the ETO Theatre

Chekhov seems to write about serious things. But somehow he does so laughing, or at least with a smile. He describes Dushechka’s first love—theatrical impresario—in distinctly comic colors.

The characters surrounding Anyuta at the ball seem to have stepped out of Anton Chekhov’s humorous stories: a dashing general, an Armenian millionaire, a prince with trembling hands and oily little eyes.

Or the friends of “The Grasshopper”: an artist who considers himself a genius, a pompous actor (Chekhov writes: “Fat, apparently an actor”); the guests at the country house, appearing as “multicolored patches.”

Chekhov smiles, Chekhov laughs—even his serious plays Chekhov calls comedies.

On the one hand, the performance “Chekhov: The Other Three Sisters” is serious; on the other, the author—and, following him, the director—constantly views everything with a certain spark of laughter. All of this is accompanied by live violin music, from an instrument capable of both crying and laughing.

And isn’t our life—and aren’t we ourselves—more than just gloomy and full of sorrow? Aren’t we, who live in the Holy Land, sometimes funny and good-humored?

Directed by: Vladimir Orenov, winner of the Golden Mask theatre award

Cast:

• Svetlana Demidova (Gesher Theatre)
• Vera Orenova
• Yevgeny Zaytsev

Violinist:

• Arkady Klein