Friday, October 14, 2011
PICT takes long look at Chekhov in 2012 season
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Pittsburgh Irish & Classical Theatre will focus its spotlight on Russian playwright Anton Chekhov for the company's 2012 season. Following up on the company's in-depth looks at the works of Harold Pinter, Samuel Beckett and John Millington Synge, it will stage a six-week Chekhov Celebration (July 19-Aug. 26) with productions of two of his full-length plays — "Three Sisters" and "Ivanov" — and two collections of the playwright's shorter plays organized under the titles "After Chekhov" and "Funny Chekhov."
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"I think he's often misunderstood as a tragedian. I see him as a comedian."
This is nothing new. In fact it's highly unoriginal approach to Chekhov: any script analysis or method/system actor will tell you this. But you have to let Chekhov speech for himself. Instead of trying to fit him into a genre look closer at the themes of his plays: they are all hinted at an soon forthcoming change or the desire for a change. Chekhov is bittersweet, tragicomedy perhaps. I think it makes sense that a local theater company will dedicate a large chunk of their season to Chekhov's longings. It makes a lot of sense when paired with the contemporary social climate: people want change. Whether they are occupying Wall Street or marching in Tea Party Rally, shit sucks in America and the middle class are miserable, much like characters in Chekhov's plays.
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