Chichester Festival Theatre is currently showing the Young Chekhov Season, this is an extraordinary event. Performed by an ensemble of 23 actors sharing 50 roles, each play can be seen as a single performance or they can be enjoyed as one event, either over different days or as one intensive theatrical experience on trilogy days.
Playwright David Hare and director Jonathan Kent have worked together to bring us these three new versions of Chekhov’s work, including Platonov, Ivanov and The Seagull.
Platonov, originally written when Chekhov was just 20 years of age, is clever, entertaining, amusing and tragic. From the moment you walk into the theatre you are engaged, as the story begins to evolve. Scottish actor James McArdle’s fine performance as the charming Schoolmaster, Platonov, is enticing. The play proves to be witty and entertaining, you cannot help but smile. There were a couple of slightly clumsy moments, but undoubtedly a truly great play with a fine cast, definitely worthy of a ***** rating and of moving on to the West End stage. Extremely enjoyable; a brilliant collaboration of artistic talents. I loved it!
Chichester Festival Theatre has once again proved to be one of the best theatres in the country, well worth a visit.
