Isolation, escapism and regret are just a few of the subjects tackled in The Lyric Hammersmith and Filter’s collaborative production of Christopher Hampton’s version of Anton Chekhov’s classic drama, Three Sisters. Directed by Sean Holmes and Filter, this production breathes new life into Chekhov’s work, but never strays far from the power of the original.
A strong cast create a timeless tribute to the power of Chekhov’s work
In Hampton’s Three Sisters the action takes place in an unknown Russian town during an unspecified time and follows the lives of the Prozorov sisters, Olga, (Poppy Miller) Masha, (Romola Garai) and Irina (Clare Dunne) over a four year period. Beginning on Irina’s 20th birthday, the play tracks the loves, careers and desires of the three women, as they attempt to fulfil their collective dream of returning to their hometown of Moscow.
Originally written in 2004, Hampton’s version of Chekhov’s 1901 drama is a funny and faithful piece made accessible to a younger audience by The Lyric and Filter’s energetic collaboration. And now, 150 years after Chekhov’s birth, his tale of social decay and the need to adapt in a changing and increasingly unfamiliar world is just as relevant in 2010 as it was then, as a number of recent global financial issues still dominate the press and have led to both social and economic change. But while the play is undoubtedly a significant cultural reflection, it’s the themes of frustration and disillusionment at the predicament the Prozorov sisters find themselves in that makes Three Sisters so provoking, as each character is forced to abandon what they want to do and what they have dreamt of doing, for what they need to do to in order to survive. Holmes’ and Filter’s production is a unique and engaging show that manages to reinvigorate a classic text, while introducing Chekhov to a new generation, without compromising on the aspects that made the text so great. A strong cast create a timeless tribute to the power of Chekhov’s work, but it’s Miller, Garai and Dunne in their respective turns as the eponymous siblings, and their realistic dynamic that made the play so striking.
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