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Three Sisters - Brisbane Festival

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By Anton Chekhov

Directed by Declan Donnellan

Chekhov International Theatre Festival in association with Cheek by Jowl, Russia / United Kingdom

Brisbane Festival 2008 presents the Australian Premiere of Declan Donnellans legendary production of Anton Chekhovs Three Sisters.

Three Sisters is a sweeping family saga of three sisters and a brother living in a small provincial town, dreaming of a better life in Moscow.

Performed by a stellar Russian ensemble, the acting is nothing short of sublime. Donnellan beautifully portrays the underlying playful girlishness, born of a shared sibling history that continually bobs to the surface to keep the sisters afloat even at their most anguished. After the fire of Act III, the trio cling tearfully together as huge-eyed Irina grows almost hysterical. When Natasha appears, it is as if she has stumbled upon a conspiracy, and the sisters distress dissolves into illicit giggles. Its little wonder that Natasha, so entirely excluded and who begins in the performance as pretentious and ambitious, yet touchingly awkward, turns spectacularly nasty.

The lightness that illuminates the production lies partly in the sisters childlike spontaneity and sense of the absurd, and partly in the characters observance of social convention. Evgenia Dmitrievas lonely, exhausted Olga busies herself, smilingly, with domestic details; and even as Irina Grinevas Masha wonders how she can continue to bear her wretched life she laughs, politely, helplessly. Yet when she meets Alexander Feklistovs Vershinin, balding, kind and sensitive, part lover, part father-figure, she slyly and appreciatingly flicks her eyes over his body while her back is turned. Its deliciously naughty.

Nick Ormerods design, with its tiny symbolic dolls house and oppressive backdrop of perilously tilting walls and windows, conveys the way in which the Prozorov family home is both prison and sanctuary.

Three Sisters is performed in Russian with English surtitles.

What a pleasure it is to hear Chekhov in Russian. I barely understand a work of the language, but you can follow the dialogue with the help of surtitles, and there is a vigour and urgency about the sound of the language that instantly banishes the wan, droopy quality of second-rate English productions of Chekhov.

Almost everything in Declan Donnellans fresh, gripping stageing feels charges, at time almost feverish avoiding the usual autumnal melancholy, although there is one beautiful exception.

When the youngest sister, Irina, forlornly yearns for Moscow at the end of the second act, repeating the name of the city three times, the Russian version of the word sounds like the plaintive murmuring of homesick dove. It proves intensely and unexpectedly moving. Daily Telegraphy (UK)

Featuring

Director: Declan Donnellan

Set & Costume Designer: Nick Ormerod

Lighting Designer: Judith Greenwood

Music: Sergey Chekryzhov

Assistant Director: Evgeny Pisarev

Prozorov Andrey Sergeevich: Alexey Dadonov

Natalia Ivanovna, His Fiancee, Afterwards His Wife: Ekaterina Sibiryakova

Olga: Evgenia Dmitrieva

Masha: Irina Grineva

Irina: Nelli Uvarova

Kulygin Fedor Ilyich, High School Teacher, Mashas Husband: Sergey Lanbamin

Vershinin: Alexander Ignatievich Ignatievich, Lieutenant-Colonel, Battery Commander: Alexander Feklistov

Tuzenbach Nikolay Lvovich, Baron, Lieutenant: Artem Semakin

Soleny Vasily Vasilievich, Staff Captain: Andrey Merzlikin

Chebutykin Ivan Romanovich, Military Doctor: Igor Yasulovich, Mikhail Zhigalov

Fedotik Alexey Petrovich, Sub-Lieutenant: Yury Makeev

Rode Vladimir Karpovich, Sub-Lieutenant: Mikhail Dementiev

Ferapont, Watchman For The Local Council, Old Man: Mikhail Zhigalov, Igor Yasulovich

Anfisa, Nurse, Old Woman Of 80: Galina Moracheva

Date

29 Jul to 3 Aug2008

Tickets (inc. fees)

$53 to $63

Duration

3hours(inc. 20 min interval)

Groups

Great discounts available for groups.

Adult groups of 10+ from only $48.00 per person.

School groups of 10+ from only $20.00 per person.

Make an online group booking enquiry or call qtix groups on (07) 3840 7466.

Important Event Information

Performance contains the following technical effects:

Live Flame, cigarettes and candles

Three Sisters is performed in Russian with English surtitles.

Presented by

Brisbane Festival 2008

The Australian (NATIONAL MEDIA PARTNER)

QPAC (VENUE PARTNER)

Festival Cellars (STAR PARTNER)