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| Our host for this reading, Martin Weston, seen here in rehearsal for Twelfth Night |
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Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov It seems futile to attempt to say anything intelligent in just one paragraph about the only major classic drama in our current programme of readings – especially as there will be a brief oral introduction on the evening and your presenter can fit in more spoken words per minute than written ones per para. You can find the basic background details in any guide to Russian or European literature or even a general encyclopedia. Suffice it to say, for those not already familiar with Chekhov (1860-1904) and too busy (or lazy) to look him up, that he really stands on his own in the history of European drama. Though he was influenced by Naturalism, especially perhaps in his numerous short stories, his work did not reflect an already industrialised society as, say, Zola’s novels did. Nor do his relatively few plays resemble Ibsen’s or Strindberg’s or Gerhart Hauptmann’s, and certainly Uncle Vanya is no kitchen-sink drama (though the samovar puts in an appearance). For one thing, they are more poetic and not much happens in them (outwardly); so there’s no need for a plot summary here. Indeed, Tolstoy exclaimed apropos of Uncle Vanya, perhaps the most poetic – and even musical – of them all: “Where is the drama? What does it consist of? The play just doesn't move anywhere.” Yet it is also very funny. And sad. In short, as with all the greatest writers, all human life is there, even though the play is set on a country estate. Intrigued? Then come along and form your own view of the perennial questions raised by reading Chekhov: Is he comic, tragic, tragicomical or plain pastoral? Does the play have a hero or a heroine (it certainly has the stuff of which heroin is made)? Or any villains? What is it really about? What are we here for? To read the play, stupid … Martin Weston, February 2004 Group reading of the play: 18.30, Wednesday 18 February 2004, Room D2, Council of Europe. Please let us know if you’re coming. Full programme of play-readings, January-March 2004 • Tagora’s calendar |