An evening with Anton Chekov

GENESEO, NY — The Alice Austin Theatre on the SUNY Geneseo Campus will be hosting ‘From Russia with Love,’ a two hour show which features three one-act comedies by Anton Chekhov, performed by the Geneseo Community Players. Three shows are scheduled: Jan. 15 & 16 at 8:00 pm and Jan. 17 at 2:00 pm.

‘From Russia with Love’ is cobbled from three of Chekhov’s early works, each having a common theme of combative love, marking the natural progression from acquaintance to engagement to matrimony. Artisitic director is Brian Smith, directing his nineteenth Community Players production. Producer is Leah Fletcher.

Each comedy is set in Russia of the late 19th/earty 20th century among the rustic landed gentry and tradesmen. Each maintains separate characters and plot.

Smith has drawn the three comedies from a series of seven of Chekov plays, selected because of their common subject matter of love and marriage and their very physical, slapstick, farceful and boisterous situations.

Chekov himself reserved the term ‘comedy’ for his more ironic plays. These three he would have termed “vaudevilles.”

“They play well together because they are very light and put timeless human foibles on display,” Smith said.

‘The Boar’ examines the pecularity of opposite types of personalities attracting one another. A creditor hounds a young widow, but becomes so impressed when she agrees to fight a duel with him, that he proposes marriage. There is a cast of three: Yelena Ivanovna Popova (Annie Wright), Grigory Stepanovich Smirnoff (Jesse Llop) and Luka (Gene Scherline).

‘The Proposal’ confirms that the unity of opposites is enduring, albeit spawning a never ending stream of arguments. Lomov has finally gotten up the nerve to ask Natalya to marry him. He puts on his finest suit and makes the trip to the neighboring farm where she lives. Alone with his beloved, Lomov begins his proposal with an itemized list of his assets, including Ox Lea Meadows. Natalya points out that the property isn’t really his and in fact belongs to her family. Arguments and hilarity ensue. There is also a cast of three: Stepan Stepanich Chubukov (Stan Janczak), Natalia ‘Natasha’ Stepanovna (Sally Fox) and Ivan Vassilievich Lomov (Kaleb King).

‘The Wedding Reception’ has a dysfunctional family marrying off its last daughter with the accompanying craziness at the reception. A bridegroom’s plans to have a general attend his wedding ceremony, but the general turns out to be a retired naval captain “of the second rank.” There is a cast of ten: Yevdokim Zaharovich Zhigalov (Gene Scherline), Nastasya Timofeyevna (Teonna Janczak), Dashenka (Amanda Lynch), Epaminondas Maximovich Aplombov (Kaleb King), Fyodor Yakovlyovich Revunov-Karaulov (Bob Wilcox), Andrey Andreyevich Niunin (Tom Bushnell), Anna Martinovna Zmeyukhina (Ingrid Bergquist), Ivan Mikhailovich Yatz (Jesse Llop), Harlampy Spirodonovich Dimba (Stan Janczak), Dimitry Stepanovich Mozgovoy (Jamond Billyard) and a Hostess-Mistress of Ceremonies (Sue Rabe).

Some of the seven male and five female actors appear in two of the plays, but no one is in all three. The Communty Players have selected a new translation of Chekhov by Paul Schmidt. The three plays also share a common stage prop: a dwelling which alternates for interior lower floor and balcony settings.

For Smith, ‘From Russia with Love’ fufills a long time ambition. He admits having wanted to direct the Chekhov pieces since his encounter with ‘The Boar’ and ‘The Proposal” as a SUNY Geneseo freshman in 1977.

The production is presented in memory of Patty Moss, the ‘doyenne’ of The Community Players. Patty, a fine comic actress, passed away in October of last year. She first performed with The Players in 1963. The Players additionally maintain a scholarship in Patty’s name.

Appropriate to the theme of this production, Patty’s favorite cocktail was a Black Russian. In tribute to Patty’s memory, The Big Tree Inn will honor ticket stubs from ‘From Russia with Love’ with a half-price discount on all vodka beverages.

The individual plays run 25-to-35 minutes, separated by ten minute intermissions, during which improvised action on stage continues. The curtain never goes down. The entire show is about two hours.

Tickets are $10 for adults; $8 for students and seniors. They may be purchased at the box office, or reserved at 245-5833 or online.

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