REVIEWby ArgusNorth Renfrew Times Players delight with Chekhov's "Orchard" by Argus When I learned that the Deep River Players would be putting on "The Cherry Orchard" by Anton Chekhov, I was at first wary about the whole thing. Chekhov has quite the reputation for writing depressing plays and "The Cherry Orchard" is no exception. Though he insisted that it was originally intended it as a comedy, directors often prefer to view the script in perhaps its most obvious light: as the tragic happenings of an old Russian family that must sell their beloved estate and cherry orchard that has been home to generations of family and memories. As such, it was quite to my delight to find that director Terry Myers intended to put the play on in a fashion that Chekhov himself would have been pleased with: as a comedy. In the program, Myers praised his actors and actresses for delving into their character's mind and pulling forth aspects and nuances that none of them expected to find, and I must heartily agree that these characters that seemed dull on paper sprang to unexpected life on the stage. The first of these characters to grace the stage was the energetic and incredibly flirtatious Dunya, the lady servant enthusiastically played by Phyllis Heeney. Though a touch overacted, her exuberance was a positive thing, bringing chuckles and guffaws from the audience and showcasing Chekhov's vision of life as ridiculous. From prominent to background roles, each actor and actress did well with the roles they were given. We were exasperated with the luckless "Two and Twenty Troubles" Yepikhodov, Sean Stanley; annoyed by the vain and greedy Yasha, Tony Leclair; and endlessly amused by the senile old Feers, Neil Smith. Mona Primeau was quite believable as Lyubov the landowner who can't help but throw her money around, especially when it comes to the less fortunate; and Andy English's rendition of Gayev, Lyubov's aging brother, was spot on and highly amusing. The two biggest nods, however, I feel must be given to Jeremy Whitlock as Lopakhin the merchant, and Karen Buyers as Lyubov's oldest daughter Varya. Whitlock showed fantastic range, from Lopahkin's serious businessman side to his tentative and disbelieving "Me! The son of a peasant!" side, he was a pleasure to watch and managed to evoke both laughter and sympathy. Varya, on the other hand, was the model of the strict and prudent older sister who has had to shoulder the responsibility of looking after the estate while her mother and younger sister were flitting across Europe. Though stern and easy to anger, she evoked a large amount of sympathy in how she was forced to deal with what life threw at her, including suffering the constant disappointment of Lopakhin as the ever tentative suitor, and Buyers did a smashing job bringing her character to life. Nods must, of course, be given to the simplistic and yet fabulous set design by Terry Myers, Phyllis Heeney and crew. Bringing the play in front of the stage evoked a more personal feel, and I spent my time waiting for the play to begin marveling at how realistic the tissue paper cherry blossoms looked. Indeed, the "little touches" were very much appreciated. From the drunk woman who stumbled down the aisle smelling of vodka (I suspect perfume), to the jarring sound of an axe being taken to the trees of the orchard, the little details were splendid; and of course the costumes by Jane Barkley and crew were lovely. From its first two comedic acts of Russian life in the late 1800s, to the expected lows in the last two acts, "The Cherry Orchard" was an interesting and thought-provoking experience. There were stumbles, as is expected in any amateur performance, but the actors refused to be flustered by something as trivial as say, tripping over a rug, and carried on with little fluster. All in all, especially given my wariness before I entered the theatre, I quite enjoyed the show and am looking forward to the Deep River Player's next production. |
