Chekhov lives again

Poor Anton Chekhov. Contemporary North American theatre reviewers are giving Russia’s greatest playwright’s works a skewering using phrases such as “unnaturally rigid” or “soul-killing mundanity.”

But are Chekhov’s plays so lumpy and inconsistent they fail to find the mark? Director Clinton Carew doesn’t think so.

In fact, he’s pumped about Broken Toys Theatre’s world premiere of a new translation of The Three Sisters opening Thursday, Nov. 28 at the Varscona Theatre.

First performed in 1901, it explores the decay of the privileged upper classes in an ever-changing modern world. Partially inspired by the situation of the Brontë sisters, it looks at three Russian sisters living in the quaint countryside.

Refined and cultured young women who grew up in Moscow, they are frustrated by their existence, a life that appears to be going nowhere.

Written in a naturalistic style, it has often been mounted at post-secondary institutions as a teaching tool.

“It’s one of the best written plays in the past 200 years. If you take it out of institutions, it is entertaining and funny even though it is not light fare,” says Carew.

As cofounder of Broken Toys Theatre along with Elena Porter, the duo founded the company to provide the Capital region with solid meaty productions.

And Carew’s fresh translation certainly qualifies. With over one year in the making, Carew used special Internet tools that translated the text from Russian directly to English. Working with the literal translation liberally sprinkled with a mish-mash of idioms, he experimented and turned the play into speakable dialogue.

“Chekhov is hilarious. I tried to find a way to the heart, the pain and the philosophy and made sure the jokes weren’t butchered.”

Staying true to the Russian playwright, Carew didn’t cut or amalgamate characters. He kept the minimum 14 actors, something virtually unheard of in modern small companies with extra tight budgets.

“I’d built good relationships over the past years and I was able to call on a lot of people who were equally excited.”

Lora Brovold, Ryan Parker, Jesse Gervais and even former St. Albert actor Catherine Wenschlag were offered roles. Wenschlag plays Anfisa, the sisters’ 80-year-old nanny, a servant who never married.

“She’s too old to do much, but she’s the heart of the home. She’s the anchor in the family,” Wenschlag says.

To understand the character of a woman twice her age, Wenshclag watched videos, attended a seniors’ living facility and socialized with the residents.

“I didn’t want someone incapacitated or someone who can do a downward dog in three seconds. I wanted balance.”

Adding four decades of age onto her skin will require a bit of makeup deceit.

“I have a few tricks up my sleeve. I’ll probably make my skin look more parchment like and pale. There will probably have to be a suspension of disbelief,” she chuckles.

Wenschlag encourages theatre patrons to see this new translation.

“Other translations are more verbose. They are more flowery. Ours tries to get to the point directly.”

Carew simply adds, “Come for the performances if nothing else. They are lively, hilarious, heart-breaking and beautiful.”