Review: THE CHERRY ORCHARD Is A Window Into The End Of A Era For The Affluent

Thursday 28th April 2016, 7:30pm, New Theatre, Newtown

Exposing the complacency of an aristocratic family in a changing world, David Mamet's adaptation of Anton Chekhov's farcical tragedy, THE CHERRY ORCHARD unfolds at New Theatre. The interwoven plots of unrequited love, loss, idleness and ambition play out in this example that money can't buy happiness.

Traditionally set in Russia in the early 20th Century, a time when serfs, emancipated in 1861, were rising from poverty and the aristocracy was struggling to survive without the cheap slave labor, Director Clemence Williams has transported the work to a more universal setting. Williams has opted to have the work presented in more familiar accents with the only nod to Chekov's original rural Russian setting remaining with the characters' names. With the hired help and lower classes utilizing natural Australian pronunciation, the upper classes such as Ranevskaya (Sarah Chadwick) and adopted daughter Varya (Josephine Starte ) present a more varying attempt at a more refined accent.

With the play taking place inside the country home that overlooks the unseen Cherry Orchard, set and costume designer Jonathan Hindmarsh has created a multi level living room and dining room space, presented at an angle allowing greater depth but also skewing the work towards the right side of the stage. The space is simply furnished with little indication that the occupants once had wealth and at first look, appears to be a contemporary apartment. The costuming is contemporary with young men Trofimov (Jasper Garner Gore), the eternal student and Yasha (Finn Davis), the young manservant looking like hipsters found at trendy cafes. Lopakhin (Alex Bryant-Smith), the merchant that has risen from a family of peasants, is in an off the rack suit whilst Pishchik (Benjamin Vickers), a neighbouring landowner wears a cravat and cufflinks. The womens' dress varies and does little to differentiate their station apart from Dunyasha (Cecilia Morrow) adding an apron to her outfit and younger daughter Anya's (Miranda Daughtry) homespun smock dress is the only indication of an old world country simplicity, out of place against the rest of the costumes.

The story revolves around the impending auction of The Cherry Orchard to pay the estate's debts. The Orchard has been in the hands of Gaev (Brett Heath) and his sister Ranevskaya's (Sara Chadwick) family for years but is suffering from the ability to afford labour. Lopakhin urges Ranevskaya to cut down the orchard to build holiday chalets to enable the family to afford to stay in the house but, trapped in memories, she does nothing, even squandering what little money she has left on strangers, parties and musicians (Eliza Scott). There are a number of love stories interwoven amongst the financial worries and a bizarre inclusion of Anya's governess Charlotta (Isabella Debbege), an entertaining woman with a history in the circus who serves as another outlet for comedy relief.

Stand out performances come from Alex Bryant-Smith as Lopakhin, Cecilia Morrow as Dunyasha and Sam Trotman as Yepikhodov. Bryant-Smith captures the conflict of wanting to try to help Ranevskaya and her family save their home whilst he remembers that their ancestors treated his family as peasants, not even allowing the servants access to the kitchen. He has the uneasiness of a man expected to marry Varya (Josaphine Starte) but not really wanting to commit as there is never any affection shown between the two, and Lopakhin is more interested in enjoying life. Morrow presents the maid with a vibrancy and playfulness as she aspires to be something more, craving attention as she goes unnoticed and unappreciated by the family. Trotman gives the clerk, given the unfortunate name of 'Endless Misfortune' a wonderful hang-dog demeanor and fabulous physical comedy as he tries to please Dunyasha who constantly rebuffs his attentions.

Williams has opted for live music to accompany the work. Sound designer Eliza Scott sits at the side of the stage providing layered vocal and guitar accompaniment and sound effects. The balance and choice of tones does however interfere with the ability to hear the dialogue at a number of points and the representation of the orchard being felled is jarring and hard to recognize as cutting down trees until it is referenced in the dialogue as Scott's saw gets stuck repeatedly.

On an individual character basis, most, apart from the presentation of Lopakhin, Dunyasha and Yepikhodov, are rather portrayed as shallow and not particularly likable, Along with it being hard to determine a number of the relationships between the characters due to the delivery and costuming, many are presented in a manner that stops the audience wanting to invest in them and be concerned for their future.

The thinness on an individual character basis aside, THE CHERRY ORCHARD's overall story of the complacency of the entitled that sees their home sold beneath them when they had the option to save it is an interesting study on society.

THE CHERRY ORCHARD

New Theatre, Newtown

26 April - 28 May 2016

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