Director: Gennadii Mai
Playwright: Anton Chekhov
Institution: The Central Academy of Drama
Venue: North Theatre
Time: 19:30, May 18, 2012
Event: The 2nd Asian Theatre Schools Festival
Director’s Notes
Anton Chekhov (1860-1940) is renowned novelist and playwright in Russia, his works like Seagull Three Sisters and the Cherry Orchard are well-known by all people, and performed on the stage of theatre all over the world. While his farce play is not often performed, these plays could explore the actors’ talents and show brilliant rays. As a great novelist and humourist Chekhov showed his great sense of humour, accordingly he is considered as the originator of absurd theatre to a large extent.
His three short plays we chose are A Marriage Proposal, the Bear and Jubilee, we think these short fancy stories could help students t improve their performances' skill Meanwhile, our audiences could find a lot of fun. These plays are absurd and interesting; they are no limited by the changes of times.
The theme "Sexes Fight" was of great novelty in 19th century, the writer's tricks are so fresh and real. The world cannot live without woman of Kalman is chosen to be the theme song. Hope our work could continue the partnership between Central Academy of Drama China and St. Petersburg National Academy of Drama.
Synopsis
A Marriage Proposal
Ivan Vasilievich Lomov, a long-time neighbor of Stepan Stepanovich Chubukov, has come to propose marriage to Chubukov's 25-year-old daughter, Natalia. While he gets into an argument with Natalia about The Oxen Meadows, a disputed piece of land between their respective properties. After her father notices they are arguing, he joins in, and then sends Ivan out of the house.
After Natalia knew his coming for proposal, she immediately starts into hysterics, begging for her father to bring him back. However, Natalia and Ivan get into a second big argument, this time about the superiority of their respective hunting dogs, Otkatai and Ugadi. Ivan collapses from his exhaustion over arguing, fearing his dead the father forces him and his daughter to accept the proposal with a kiss. However, after a few minutes he regains consciousness, the couple gets into another argument...
The Bear
The play takes place in the drawing room of Elena Ivanovna Popova's estate on the seven month anniversary of her husband's death when Grigory Stepanovich Smirnov arrives and wishes to see the Elena Popova.
Smirnov explains to her that her late husband owes him a sum of money, he hopes Popova could pay the debt instead of her husband, or else he will be on the verge of bankruptcy. Popova promised that she will settle her husband's debts when her steward arrives. While Smirnov gets angered by her refusal to pay him back, Smirnov decides that he will not leave the estate until his debts are paid off.
He and Popova get into another argument, the argument turns into a debate about true love according to the different genders. Meanwhile, Smirnov says to himself how impressed he is by Popova's audacity and slowly realizes that he has actually fallen in love with her and her dimpled cheeks. When Popova returns with the pistols, Smirnov makes his love confession. Although Popova is puzzled, she knows that Smirnov who falls in love will no longer ask for the debt, he choose to leave to defend his love.
Jubilee
A bank manager, Mr. Shipuchin, tries to calm his nerves before the fifteenth anniversary celebration of his bank where he hopes to attract would-be investors. He sets an underling to the task of writing his speech for him. First they are interrupted by the return of his flirtatious wife, Tatiana, and her insistence on telling a completely inconsequential story of the train journey she has had. Her story is itself interrupted by the arrival of a strange woman, Mrs. Merchutkina, who insists on having the bank compensate her for her husband's illness, despite the fact that the bank has absolutely nothing to do with her husband's employer, Shipuchin agrees to pay to ensure the smooth going of the anniversary celebration. While sending these two noisy women, they are fainted. The stakeholders come to congratulate at the same moment, the jubilee is forced to interrupt...