The Cherry Orchard is Chekhov’s barmiest and bleakest play.
The Cherry Orchard is Chekhov’s barmiest and bleakest play. It’s also his richest. The madness starts immediately. To set the opening scene of a sprawling family drama at four o’clock in the morning seems eccentric to the point of rashness but Chekhov is a master of his craft. A wealthy widow, Ranyevskaya, has arrived at her estate after a long trip from Paris and she’s greeted by staff and relatives who’ve waited up all night to help her entourage settle into the house. This gives the scene a fragmented dynamism which allows a dozen characters and relationships to be gradually elucidated in conditions of perfect naturalism.
The estate is about to be swallowed up by greedy debtors and a prosperous merchant, Lopakhin, has come up with a rescue plan. By felling the orchard and building holiday homes in its place he can offer the bankrupt family not just security but also lasting prosperity.
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