Theatre Review - The Cherry Orchard
June Watson in The Cherry Orchard [Johan Persson]
CONTEMPORARY resonances abound in Benedict Andrews’ dynamic reimagining of Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard, and he accentuates the play’s comic moments. Wearing modern dress, the cast sit among the audience.
Aristocrat Madame Ranevskaya (Nina Hoss) returns from Paris to her beloved home with her daughter Anya (Sadie Soverall) and governess Charlotta (Sarah Amankwah). They are accompanied by Ranevskaya’s infantile brother Gaev (Michael Gould) and his valet Yasha, (Nathan Armarkwei Laryea) who vapes and acts as though he’s part of the family.
They are anxiously awaited by Varya (Marli Siu) Ranevskaya’s adopted daughter, Dunyasha (Posy Sterling) a maid, Firs (June Watson) their ancient housekeeper, and Yepikhodov (Éanna Hardwicke) a hapless bookkeeper nicknamed “the walking catastrophe” because of his frequent mishaps.
Other characters who pass by are eternal student Trofimov (Daniel Monk) and neighbouring landowner Pishchik (David Ganly).
The family’s estate is to be sold at auction in order to pay their debts. Lopakhin (Adeel Akhtar) a local businessman, whose father was a serf, tries to advise Ranevskaya on how to avoid this calamity, but it involves destroying the cherry orchard.
Ranevskaya refuses to listen, while Gaev believes a wealthy aunt will save them. The characters drift around, sunbathe, listen to live music and dance, all the while sleepwalking towards disaster.
Staged in-the-round, Andrews’ vibrant production conveys a rapidly changing world and hints at impending doom. The sound of an axe is replaced by chainsaws, the broken string, a long discordant note, is chilling.
Superbly acted, these characters linger with you long after the curtain call.
Until June 22