Chekov, Please?

Why Do You Always Wear Black? – Organic Theatre Company

 

One of three influential 19th century playwrights, responsible for bringing about the birth of theatrical modernism, Anton Chekov wrote four plays that explored what it meant to be a woman in Russia at the turn of the century. His views are still pertinent, alive and important today. This unusual one-act, adapted from the playwright’s comedies, including “The Seagull,” “Three Sisters,” “Uncle Vanya” and “The Cherry Orchard,” is an often humorous, sometimes moving look at Chekov’s ladies.

At the top of “The Seagull,” Medvedenko asks Masha, “Why do you always wear black” She replies, “I’m in mourning for my life. I’m unhappy.” It’s a funny, and unexpected response; but the question is one that inspires this absurdist, 60-minute performance piece. Four women, two in Victorian dresses and two in more modern pant outfits (beautifully designed and executed by costumer Angela Enos), rush from the darkness and onto the stage from all directions. Their movement is choreographed to a piece of classical Russian music (courtesy of sound designers M. Anthony Reimer and Morgan Hunter) and they meet in the middle. There they suddenly stop and do a quick take toward the audience that provokes laughter.

Each of the four actresses are excellent, both individually and as ensemble members, and demonstrate a flair for comedy and melodrama. They extract miles of humor from Chekov’s dialogue. The lines are taken from four of his plays, which often sound illogical, like Alice in Wonderland non sequiturs. Among the twenty short scenes are A Homecoming, A Lesson, A Secret, Books, and Is That All There Is? Directed by Anna Gelman, her fine cast includes Kat Christiansen, Nyssa Lowenstein, Ariana Silvan-Grau and Taylor Wisham. Long into the performance, an uncredited gentleman appears, who shares a short scene with Ms. Christiansen. This is, however, the only deviation from a production that strongly drips with girl power.

The overall effect of the performance piece is first-rate. It’s a striking, grand homage to Anton Chekov’s plays, while specifically a distillation of the many moods, desires and disappointments of his female characters. Chopping down cherry trees, celebrating their name days and longing to go to Moscow, this quartet of women argue, pine, eat, make messes and clean up the crumbs from an entertaining evening that focuses on Chekov’s women, both of yesterday and today.

 

Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

 

Presented March 21-April 8 by the Organic Theater Company in the upstairs studio venue of the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago.

Tickets are available by calling 773-404-7336 or by going to www.boxoffice@greenhousetheater.org.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.