Writer: Anton Chekhov
Translator: Rory Mullarkey
Director: Caroline Steinbeis
Anton Chekhov’s Three Sisters is a tragedy that explores the lives of the Prozorov sisters, who long to return to their hometown of Moscow, escaping the provincial town they are trapped in. With a revolving door of inappropriate suitors and the local military brigade, each sister grapples with her own discontent.
Rory Mullarkey’s adaptation of Three Sisters breathes new life into this classic, imbuing it with a sense of vitality that is often absent in more traditional productions. Known for his absurdist style, Mullarkey reinterprets Chekhov’s melancholic text with wit, dark humour, and an energy that adds buoyancy to the original script. The adaptation leans heavily on the irony of the philosophising about what life will be like in the future, as we sit here over 100 years after it is written, and it works. The result is a dynamic and contemporary reimagining, brought to life by director Caroline Steinbeis, that finds the modern worry in late 19th century Russian life.
The central trio of sisters—Irina (Ruby Thompson), Masha (Shannon Tarbet), and Olga (Michelle Terry)—bring the requisite depth to their roles, though they each present a different facet of the play’s heightened emotional range. Thompson plays Irina with a youthful vulnerability, giving a performance marked by a palpable sense of optimism and naïveté. Masha, in contrast, is portrayed by Tarbet with a sometimes unsympathetic but very interesting brittle edge that gives some active passivity to her failing marriage and confined life. Olga, the eldest sister, embodies a weary resilience, Terry’s performance is suffused with a quiet, fragile strength. While the cast as a whole is engaging, there are moments when the shifts between comedy and tragedy appear abrupt, reflecting the play’s overall imbalance between levity and despair. At times, the performances lean into the absurdist elements, but this only heightens the production’s exploration of the absurdity of human life.
The live band (Maddie Cutter, Sarah Field, Rob Millet and Gabriela Opacka-Boccadoro) are brilliant if a tad underutilised. The period appropriate music and soft candlelight (Anna Watson) adds a tangible atmosphere. With almost all light coming from chandeliers and handheld candlesticks, the actors are able to hide themselves in the shadows despite a relatively small stage.
Mullarkey and Steinbeis’ Three Sisters is a lively reimagining that balances absurdity and profound human emotion. The actors take risks with their performances, and while some moments feel disjointed, the production remains a daring and inventive exploration of Chekhov’s work.
Runs until 19th April 2025
The Reviews Hub Score
A lively reimagining
