Danny Coleman-Cooke reviews Anton Chekhov's play Three Sisters now playing at the Almeida Theatre, London.
The cast of Three Sisters. Photo: Marc Brenner Three Sisters
Almeida Theatre
17 April 2019
3 stars
Book Tickets A few months ago the Almeida Theatre produced one of this year’s most highly decorated plays, Summer and Smoke, which included a Best Actress Olivier win for rising star Patsy Ferran.
Ferran is reunited with director Rebecca Frecknall and several other cast members for this version of Chekhov’s Three Sisters, the tale of three metropolitan siblings struggling with life in provincial obscurity.
While this is a well acted and enjoyable production, it does not quite hit the heights of Summer and Smoke, nor does it match the superlative Uncle Vanya at the Almeida two few years ago.
Pearl Chanda (Masha), Freddie Meredith (Andrey) and Patsy Ferran (Olga) Photo: Marc Brenner
This is an unusual production, which is not bound by traditional structures like period settings and geographic locations. The characters talk in modern English but long for a future where “women will wear trousers”. They talk of old-fashioned duels and yet pose for Instagram style snaps. The costumes are equally muddled, with hipster fashion mixed with old fashioned military garb.
This is seemingly a deliberate artistic decision but it robs the play of its vital context and also detracts from the empathy we should feel for the three sisters. It is hard to fully feel their rural isolation on a fairly anaemic set, when for all we know they could hop on Aeroflot to get to their promised land.
The cast of Three Sisters at Almeida Theatre. Photo: Marc Brenner
Despite a staging that works against, rather than with, the story, some exceptional performances keep the show on the road. The three sisters have superb chemistry and are entirely believable as siblings, with all the love and bickering that comes with it.
Patsy Ferran is typically excellent as the earnest older sister Olga, although the casting does jar slightly given her exceptionally youthful looks. Pearl Chanda was suitably sardonic as Masha and Ria Zmitrowicz, who is emerging as a real talent, expertly charted Irina’s journey from wide eyed to world-wearied.
Pearl Chanda (Masha), Ria Zmitrowicz (Irina), Shubham Saraf (Nikolay) and Lois Chimimba (Natasha). Photo: Marc Brenner
However, for me, the most compelling performance was Elliot Levey as Fyodor, Masha’s hapless husband, who is oblivious to her infidelity. Levey plays this truly pitiful character brilliantly, extracting all the comic potential, but also providing some achingly sad moments as he comes to terms with his loveless marriage.
This is certainly not a bad production, containing all of the slow-burning drama and tension that you’d expect from a Chekhov classic. However, at times it feels just as lost and in need of the clarity that Olga, Masha and Irina are striving for.
Until 1 June 2019
BOOK TICKETS FOR THREE SISTERS AT ALMEIDA THEATRE
Danny Coleman-Cooke is an experienced writer, who covers news, sport and comedy for high-profile personalities and broadcasters. His speeches and scripts can be seen on stage, on primetime TV and in Parliament, broadcast to wide and diverse audiences. His experience includes writing for the BBC’s Have I Got News for You, Channel 4’s Paralympics coverage, and the Premier League’s live match commentary. He has also managed social media accounts for a number of major brands, including Tesco, The Guardian and the BBC. He's also a well-established speechwriter, scriptwriter and copywriter and has written for a wide range of famous faces in the world of politics and entertainment. He recently had his first theatrical credit, as co-writer of a musical adaptation of Beowulf, which toured the Midlands and was performed at the Royal Albert Hall. Danny is a huge theatre fan and was part of the writing team for the 2015 and 2016 Olivier Awards.
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