Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Benedict Andrews’ contemporary THE CHERRY ORCHARD injects compelling immediacy into the Chekhov classic

• By drediman
• April 10, 2025
• No Comments

This week at St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn, I had the opportunity to take in the New York premiere of Benedict Andrews’ fresh new adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard. The unassumingly modern dress production — which is also directed by Andrews — arrives Off-Broadway after having proven to be a hit across the pond at the small but mighty Donmar Warehouse in London. For those of you unfamiliar with this staple of the Western dramatic canon, the play tells the story of a charismatic Russian aristocrat (Liubov) who returns, after having extravagantly spent most of her money residing in Paris, to her Russian country estate, only to have it sold — due to her financial irresponsibility — to an ambitious businessman (Yermolai) whose forebears were once serfs on the property.

Often, stagings of Chekhov works lean decidedly towards naturalism, thereby coming across like somber affairs, if not like museum pieces of times gone by. In sharp contrast, not only is Andrews’ slightly streamlined adaptation firmly in the contemporary mode, it also basks in the built-in farcical aspects of the classic play to convey a topsy-turvy world in which a flailing microcosm of human beings careen towards their uncertain destinies. As such, the emotions of the piece hit with compelling immediacy. This is emphasized by Andrews’ immersive and stylized in-the-round staging, which has characters emerging from and returning to their seats in the audience, as needed. The characters further shatter the fourth wall by occasionally interacting with members of the audience and often performing in the aisles, implicating the audience in the tragicomedy as much of as themselves.

Across the board, the performances straddle clownish buffoonery and unvarnished humanity. The ensemble cast is led by Adeel Akhtar and Nina Hoss as Yermolai and Liubov, respectively, who — despite the relatively heightened nature of their acting — nevertheless pull off portrayals that feel organic and authentic. Throughout, the performances are enhanced by haunting live musical underscoring that lusciously punctuates emotions and effectively establishes various moods. The net result is a Cherry Orchard that registers as a scintillatingly entertaining yet emotionally bracing high-wire act (e.g., just witness the end of Act 1 and much of the booze-infused party that anticipates the estate’s sale in Act 2). Both familiar and surprising, Andrews’ production boldly asks audiences to reassess Chekhov’s warhorse play anew vis-à-vis our world, here and now. You just may be bowled over by what you find.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

THE CHERRY ORCHARD
Off-Broadway, Play
St. Ann’s Warehouse
3 hours (with one intermission)
Through April 27