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Chekhov's Chicks
December 04, 2007
By Jerry Portwood
Mention Chekhov and eyes are likely to glaze over at
the prospect of dusty dramas, impenetrable dialogue, and
incomprehensible names. For Chekhov's Chicks, Elizabeth Rosengren
has done away with the tedium and air of erudition often associated with
productions of Chekhov's plays, adapting several of them into an
entertaining primer of pivotal scenes that allow humor and poignancy to
shine through the dreariness.
The protagonist is Anna Akimovna (Carolinne Messihi), a 26-year-old who
feels an existential ache and is seeking fulfillment beyond the riches
from her factory. She visits her doctor (Chris Cotone), who also happens
to be a writer — Anton Chekhov, of course. Chekhov explains that he has
no cure for her, but the doctor's muse, the actor Arkadina (Rosengren),
insists that his characters will provide some soul-searching sustenance,
so she has her troupe of actors re-enact scenes from The Three
Sisters, Uncle Vanya, and The Seagull.
The premise would probably remain a bit dull if it weren't for the irony
that Rosengren manages to inject into the piece — both with her writing
and acting. The female actors break from their roles, they joke to
Akimovna — herself a character from Chekhov's short story A Woman's
Kingdom — that Chekhov "doesn't write about anything easy" and
needle him that there's "not one love story with a happy ending." Due to
their urgings, Chekhov whips out a new play, The Bear, and he and
Arkadina step into the roles of Popova and Smirnoff and begin their
passionate, comedic tête-à-tête.
Director Jewels Eubanks makes the staging of a dozen actors in a
miniscule playing space seem effortless, and Rosengren's script is a
perfect opportunity for talented actors to work with a master's words
without having to commit to a tiring full-length production.
Chekhov's Chicks makes a wonderful addition to the canon for those
looking for powerful female parts without all the hassle.
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