Product Description

"Frayn's translation, which strikes me as splendidly lucid and alive will be acted again and again" (New Statesman) In Chekhov's tragi-comedy - perhaps his most popular play - the Gayev family is torn by powerful forces deeply rooted in history and the society in which they live. Their estate is hopelessly in debt and when urged to cut down their beautiful cherry orchard and sell the land for holiday cottages, they are confronted by an impossible decision. "At the time when The Cherry Orchard was written, the years before the revolution of 1905, Chekhov considered revolution in Russia irreversible and desirable." (Melchinger: Anton Chekhov)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #289460 in Books
• Published on: 1978-03-16
• Original language: Russian
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 96 pages

About the Author
Michael Frayn's work for the stage includes Alphabetical Order, Make and Break and Noises Off, all of which received Best Comedy of the Year awards, while Benefactors was named Best Play of the Year. His other works include Democracy (National Theatre and West End prior to Broadway) and Copenhagen (winner of numerous awards including the Evening Standard and Critics' Circle Best Play Awards 1998). He has translated Chekhov's four last plays and is also a novelist and recipient of the Whitbread Prize for Best Novel for Spies.

Customer Reviews

Astoundingly boring play about nothing at all
I was forced at gun point to read this for my degree and I can honestly say that I am actually quite angry for not choosing to be shot. This play is the most boring thing I think I have ever read. It is a play about, almost literally, nothing. I mean - what's the point of it? What's the point of the so-called 'plot'? Nothing happens right throughout the entire work. As a further insult I just noticed that this work is listed as a comedy. That is nonsense. As an even greater insult my teacher described it as "probably the most beautiful play I have ever read." This made me want to hit the pretentious little berk in the face.

Good for exploring Stanislavsky's tecniques
This book has a good layout that is easy to read. I found it difficult to keep reading during the book because the humour is dry and mostly it does not aid the play. It is good for the study of Stanislavsky as many of his acting tecniques can be delveloped throught the play.