THREE SISTERS. To 11 May.

Southampton/Tour

THREE SISTERS
by Anton Chekhov, translated by Ronald Hingley, with 'certain revisions/restitutions' during rehearsal

Nuffield Theatre To 11 May, then Tour
Mon-Thurs 7.30 Fri-Sat 8pm Mat 11 May 4pm
Runs 2hr 55min One interval

TICKETS 023 8067 1771 (Nuffield performances)
Review Timothy Ramsden 16 April

Endless intelligent details make this a thrilling production for Chekhov fans, while its clarity and pace make the play accessible for newcomers.Chekhov's characters talk about work. In his first Chekhov production Patrick Sandford sweeps in like a new broom and sets them to chores. Instead of a languid discussion at the start, here's Olga flicking dust from the chandelier and Irina arranging flowers on the piano as they whisk the covers off the furniture for the annual spring-clean.

The impact's immediate, creating energy and showing their old Nanny Anfisa is kept on largely for emotional reasons; these are working women at home as well as in school and post-office. This brightens the mind to the significance of their jobs. In their remote town the cultured Prozorov daughters home in on education and communication with the wider world.

It also cleverly isolates Masha, buried in the sofa and her book, from her siblings. Imogen Stubbs' middle sister has missed out on the family likeness caught in Olga and Irina, separating her again (she's also the one never intending to go to Moscow).

Simon Higlett's huge curve of a room has a huge lateral crack along its wall – this is no comfortable landed lifestyle, but a large house needing upkeep - while a gentle tilt subliminally suggests the Russian world at the end of its tether, needing bucking up, or knocking down.

The production's riches flow through all its characters. The long philosophising speeches become a conscious kind of mental scrabble as Vershinin and Tuzenbakh vie with each other – you can see Gerrard McArthur's light-mannered Baron thinking 'Right, my go now...' as he sets off on his vision of the future.

And Milo Twomey makes unusually clear sense of the moody Solyony. His inspiration in the gloomy romantic writer Lermontov is strong and his social ineptitude clear as he stands apart, erect and fuming, at himself or others, before quoting Lermontov as a way into the assurance of playing the poet's role himself.

At least he's cleared on one count. Despite the dialogue Solyony hasn't eaten all the chocolates – we've seen Ian Shaw's Andrey (a fine portrait of dreamy idealism going to seed in real-life) gobble a handful to evade the diet his wife has him on.

And Robert Morgan finds unusual depth in the often silly-ass role of dull schoolmaster and Masha's unwanted husband. His last act joke with the confiscated false beard is a clear, if pathetic, attempt to cheer his wife as her lover Vershinin – a strong performance by Dominic Mafham in this tricky role - departs with the army. And when he plays the false-face trick on the appalling Natasha (Niky Wardley a beauty gone sour with temper, sure to erupt when a moment's calm's been reached) he's as clearly trying to lighten the mood on his own account. Morgan ensures Kulygin stays within Chekhov's band of sympathy.

Nuffield regular David Alcock gives a new dimension to the servant Ferapont, not merely deaf but in his erect, unthinking bearing clearly someone destined for a simple, routine job from birth. Zena Walker's clearly luxury casting as Anfisa, bringing the role into sharp focus. You feel her hurt when Natasha snaps at her for sitting down, the silent anger as she waddles off peasant-like, the panic in her eyes when life's suddenly incomprehensible and finally the joyous rejuvenation she's experienced in the unaccustomed luxury of her granny-flat at the school-house.

This production originated in its Olga and Masha's search for a chance to play roles they clearly understand and love deeply; comparative newcomer Naomi Frederick is well up to their company.

Fortunate Patrick Sandford to have two such fine, passionate Chekhovians ask him to direct this play. Very fortunate committed Chekhovians to have lighted on a director capable of such insights. Extremely fortunate audiences to have this world-class production on offer.

Olga: Serena Gordon
Masha: Imogen Stubbs
Irina: Naomi Frederick
Andrei: Ian Shaw
Natasha: Niki Wardley
Fyodor Kulygin: Robert Morgan
Anfisdas: Zena Walker
Fersapont: David Alcock
Maid: Katie Gape
Children: Sophie Hanspal, Sarah Bishop, Anna Emmott, Sophie Sayer, Chelsea Hodgson, Hollie Moisey
Baron Nicholas Tuzenbakh: Gerrard McArthur
Captain Vasily Solyony: Milo Twomey
Ivan Chebutykin: Gareth Thomas
Alexander Vershinin: Dominic Mafham
Aleksey Fedotik: William Oxborrow
Vladimir Rode: Jason Lawson

Director: Patrick Sandford
Designer: Simon Higlett
Lighting: David W. Kidd
Sound: Ben Young, Jim Branston
Composer: Shaun Davey

2002-04-19 10:34:56