JAMES WALSH revels in a miscellany of beautifully observed characters, ranging from the parodic to the frankly batshit
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A Cherry Orchard ripe with contemporary resonance
Role-playing: Eva Magyar (centre) as Charlotta
[Jon Rowley]
MALC McGOOKIN appreciates a graphic novel that records the history of the legendary peace camp and surveys the state of the right to protest in contemporary Britain
SYLVIA HIKINS recommends a fascinating, revealing, superbly acted evening of theatre
New releases from Otherlands Trio, Isabelle Bodenseh, Kris Davis and the Lutoslawski Quartet
STEVEN ANDREW praises a beautifully written and enjoyable read
ROGER McKENZIE suggest this book is used as a resource to help spark resistance to the rise of nuclear power
The Cherry Orchard
Bristol Old Vic
IF YOU are hoping to reconfirm expectations of a lyrical turn of-the-century masterpiece, where inevitable social upheaval on a provincial Russian estate mirrors the mood of the passing seasons and elegiac sentiment prevails, this production of The Cherry Orchard is likely to disappoint.
Director Michael Boyd has worked with Rory Mullarky to produce a fresh, vibrant translation of Anton Chekhov's play, giving it a far more contemporary resonance, while Tom Piper’s in-the-round stage design makes the audience a key element. This is very much a production about performance and communication or, rather, its absence.
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