MTC's production of The Cherry Orchard, unnecessarily marketed as 'by Simon Stone after Chekhov' (the totality of the plot and recognisable fragments of dialogue remain the same as the 1904 original), is composed in such a way as to instigate a conversation about Australia's historical development whilst never forgetting the core of Chekhov's drama. Chekhov's last play follows the demise of a wealthy family of inherited privilege. In the face of a rapidly changing society they remain in a state of deluded stasis and eventually lose their wealth and standing. Their mansion and its attached cherry orchard are bought by the entrepreneurial former peasant Lopakhin - in this version a second generation migrant. The production's costumes and props evoke the 1970s, yet there are few direct references to that period in the characters' text. At first I was confused by these gestures but over time a theatrical landscape existing in no specific time but framed by certain ideologies became apparent. Had Stone attempted to transpose the ideologies of class that existed in pre-revolutionary Russia entirely into a setting of contemporary Australia the effect would have felt anachronistic. Instead this production frames a dialogue that exists through time: between Chekhov's text, the aspirational capitalism of post-war Australia and the ecological despair of today, a result of that capitalist excess. This is a tricky balancing act that for the most part works brilliantly. Intelligently directed, captivatingly designed, perfectly cast and superbly performed.
Bluesfest Announce 'Biggest Site Upgrades Yet' For 2026 Event
