Chekhov: The Cherry Orchard

Plays in Production

by James N. Loehlin

Chekhov's masterpiece, about a Russian family losing its ancestral home, combines a lament for a vanishing past with a hopeful dream of the future. In the century since its first performance, The Cherry Orchard has undergone a wide range of conflicting interpretations: tragic and comic, naturalistic and symbolic, reactionary and radical. Beginning with the 1904 premiere at Stanislavsky's Moscow Art Theatre, this study traces the performance history of one of the landmark plays of the modern theatre. Considering the work of such directors as Anatoly Efros, Giorgio Strehler, Peter Brook, and Peter Stein, Chekhov: The Cherry Orchard explores the way different artists, periods and cultures have reinvented Chekhov's poignant comedy of failure and hope.

Genres: Theatre, Classics, Drama, Plays

262 pages, Paperback

First published October 2, 2006

Reviews

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read for anyone interested in Chekhov or theater history in general! Loehlin takes an engaging and thorough look at the production history of one of the most influential plays in theater history, using correspondance, newspaper reviews, memoirs, and criticism to sketch out the ways The Cherry Orchard has been interpreted and presented in the last century. Written with immediacy, humor, and characteristic insight, Loehlin does an excellent job of showing the multi-faceted nature of The Cherry Orchard and how it can be manipulated to suit the needs of the time — from the original production at the Moscow Art Theatre to the more experimental continental productions in the 80s and 90s. His love for the play and its endless staging possibilities shines through strongly, and one comes away with an understanding not only of the perpetual relevancy of The Cherry Orchard and Chekhov’s work, but also the cultural waves of western theater craft in the last century.

[Georgia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this play! I've never read Chekhov before, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but the play is not only such a perfect framing of the decline of the Russian elite, but also so beautifully written. The symbolism of the cherry trees is so apt for this noble decay.

The way in which the estate is lost reminded me of Belle Reve in A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, written around half a century later. The romanticised portrayal of elite decline is a longstanding literary trope, it would seem.

[McMillan-Jude Ponce-Andrada Ching]

Contemplative look into the lives of wealthy rural Russia.

[Nikola Stojanovic]

05.02.2021.

[Serena Jampel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barely skimmed Uncle Vanya (yikes) but did actually read this one! This man has a knack for complex, believable characters!! And guns!

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

providing a detailed analysis of all productions and to get an understanding of the play

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting piece of history and some nice imagery but overall "chop the damned trees down already" :)