Life Readers for 2019: Chekhov’s Plays
Our discussions aim to look at the interaction of Chekhov’s background, his experience of life, and his ideas with the poetics of his plays – their themes, imagery, construction, and philosophy, and thus to show the evolution of the playwright. We will examine Chekhov’s major plays from the humanistic point of view: his deep understanding of human psychology, of our place in relation to a social and economic context, of the passage of time, of life, death, and nature. We will explore the greatest controversy attached to Chekhov’s plays: whether the plays are tragic, gloomy, and melancholy, or whether they could be called comedies, enabling Chekhov’s tone to remain non-judgmental, detached, and reserved.
We will read the plays and watch Stage Russia theater performances and film adaptations available through Kanopy for the AHML cardholders.
Text List:
Five Plays by Anton Chekhov translated by Marina Brodskaya, Stanford University Press, 2011, ISBN 978-0-8047-6966-2
Play One: Ivanov – Thursday, January 17, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm / Board Room
Play Two: The Seagull – Thursday, February 21, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm / Cardinal Room
Stage Russia: https://ahml.kanopy.com/video/moscow-s-satirikon-theatre-s-seagull
Play Three: Uncle Vanya – Thursday, March 21, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm / Cardinal Room
Stage Russia: https://ahml.kanopy.com/video/moscows-vakhtangov-theatre-s-uncle-vanya
Film Version: https://ahml.kanopy.com/video/uncle-vanya
Also, please watch Vanya on 42nd Street directed by Andre Gregory, 1994. The film is available on DVD at the AHML, Amazon Prime, or Netflix.
Play Four: Three Sisters – Thursday, April 18, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm / Cardinal Room
Stage Russia: https://ahml.kanopy.com/video/novosibirsk-s-red-torch-theatre-s-three-sist
Film Version: https://ahml.kanopy.com/video/three-sisters
Play Five: The Cherry Orchard – Thursday, May 16, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm / Cardinal Room
Stage Russia: https://ahml.kanopy.com/video/cherry-orchard-0
Film Version: https://ahml.kanopy.com/video/cherry-orchard