Chekhov Shorts
Chekhov wasn’t all doom and gloom. Before the Cherry Orchard and The Seagull, his plays show a lively sense of humour.
European Arts Company have showcased five of his shorter comic plays, including The Dimwit and The Proposal which - although they share many of the social concerns of the later plays - have a much lighter touch. Marriage, age and death are all material for Chekhov’s comedy. His characters are essentially what make his comedies, they are ridiculous and take themselves too seriously.
Take the scenario in The Proposal. An ageing man with a heart condition wants to marry his neighbour’s daughter. But when it comes to the proposal, he is too nervous to get it out and she, not realising the purpose of his visit, scuppers his best efforts by beginning an argument about a piece of land that triggers a heart attack. Fortunately, Chekhov’s treatment of his characters is - in the long run and in the best traditions of tragedy - usually sympathetic.
European Arts Company’s production of Chekhov Shorts is fast-paced, witty and engaging. Richard Latham, Daniel Harcourt and Jennifer Bryden complement each other well and are all so versatile that it is hard to believe there are only three of them.
Production information
- Management:
- European Arts Company
- Website:
- www.europeanarts.co.uk
Production information can change over the run of the show.
Run sheet
- Tower Arts Centre Winchester
- September 27 2006
- Ashcroft Arts Centre Fareham
- September 28 2006
- Forest Arts Centre New Milton
- September 29 2006
- Wrexham Studio Wrexham
- October 2 2006
- Millfield Arts Centre London
- October 4 2006
- Gate Arts Centre Cardiff
- October 5 2006
- Marine Lyme Regis
- October 6 2006
- Melville Abergavenny
- October 7 2006
- Camberley Theatre Camberley
- October 9 2006
- Auden Holt
- October 10 2006
- Artrix Bromsgrove
- October 11 2006
- West Wing Arts Centre Slough
- October 12 2006
- Stowe School Stowe
- October 16 2006
- Trinity Arts Centre Gainsborough
- October 17 2006
- Capitol Horsham
- October 19 2006
- Central Studio Basingstoke
- October 20 2006
- Space, Stroud Performing Arts Centre Stroud
- October 21 2006
- Arts Centre Salisbury
- February 24 2007
- Roses Tewkesbury
- February 28 2007
- Arts Centre Stamford
- March 5 2007
- Arena Wolverhampton
- March 6 2007
- Clocktower Croydon
- March 7 2007
- Maltings Arts St Albans
- March 22 2007
- New Wolsey Ipswich
- March 14-15 2011
- Rondo Bath
- March 16-17 2011
- Cornerstone Arts Centre Didcot
- March 18 2011
- Chipping Norton Theatre Chipping Norton
- March 19 2011
- Playhouse Alnwick
- March 22 2011
- Square Chapel Halifax
- March 24 2011
- Town Hall Selby
- March 25 2011
- Rosehill Whitehaven
- March 26 2011
- Queen's Hall Arts Centre Hexham
- March 29 2011
- Brunton Musselburgh
- March 30 2011
- Maltings Berwick-upon-Tweed
- March 31 2011
- Bowhill House and Country Park Selkirk
- April 1 2011
- Crescent Arts Centre Belfast
- April 4- 5 2011
- Strule Arts Centre Omagh
- April 6 2011
- Market Place and Arts Centre Armagh
- April 7 2011
- Riverside Coleraine
- April 8 2011
- Ardhowen Enniskillen
- April 9 2011
- Island Arts Centre Belfast
- April 15 2011
- Playhouse Derry
- April 16 2011
- Swallow Whithorn
- April 18 2011
- Eastgate Peebles
- April 19 2011
- Pomegranate Chesterfield
- April 20 2011
- Severn Shrewsbury
- April 23 2011
- Norden Farm Maidenhead
- April 27 2011
- Theatre Royal, Studio York
- April 28-29 2011
- Pavilion Arts Centre Buxton
- April 30 2011
- Gulbenkian Canterbury
- May 3 2011
- Guildhall Arts Centre Grantham
- May 4 2011
- Key Peterborough
- May 5 2011
- Forest Arts Centre New Milton
- May 6 2011
- Millfield Arts Centre London
- May 10 2011
- Greenwich Theatre London
- May 11-12 2011
- Courtyard Hereford
- May 16-17 2011
- Ropery Hall, The Ropewalk Barton-upon-Humber
- May 18 2011
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