Love, Chekhov, presented by the National Theatre of China is an innovative tribute to world classic dramas from the Chinese stage. Its production was conceived in 2020 to commemorate the 160th anniversary of the birth of Chekhov, the “Father of Modern Drama”, and it was successfully premiered in April 2021 as the Theatre’s latest drama commission. Produced in honour of Chekhov, a “great person that would live forever”, the drama provides a youthful interpretation of classics in a new narrative approach from a contemporary perspective.
The drama is in itself an innovative “recombination” of Chekhov’s world of literature. Written and directed by ZHA Wenhao, it’s a mixture of three one-act comedies - The Bear, The Proposal and The Wedding, which are the “bright pearls” among Chekhov’s dramatic works. Lighthearted and humorous, they are characterized by hyperbolic style common in popular comedies and echo one another in an intertextual manner. Besides, in the drama are famous characters and plotlines from some of Chekhov’s novels, including The Man in a Case, A Joke, The Bride and About Love. Owing to the use of a creative narrative technique, “cross-cutting”, the characters from different works are able to appear in the same scenes in concord. Creating a sound of symphony, their voices jointly form “ a world parallel to Chekhov’s world of literature” about love and life. Such a structure is quite different from traditional narratives, because it allows several stories to take place together on the stage, making it possible to explore “love”, an eternal theme of life, from the perspective of contemporary youth.
Love, Chekhov has been staged time after time since its premiere in 2021. In 2024, it appeared at leading theatre festivals including the one in Modern Drama Valley, Shanghai.
The drama has garnered high praise from both critics and audiences. TIAN Qinxin, President of the National Theatre of China, spoke highly of its innovation, likening it to “a grafted pear tree with plump flesh and sweet syrup”. Theatre experts generally regard it as a successful “classic interpretation of youth”. As a comforting and humorous lyric comedy, the drama is filled with a kind of vitality attractive to contemporary audiences, especially the young. In the past performances, this was confirmed by the cheerful atmosphere, including the audience’s laughter and their deep emotional responses.
Credits
Original Author: Anton Pavlovich Chekhov
Translator: TONG Ning
Adaptation Playwright: ZHA Wenhao, LIU Jinni
Director: ZHA Wenhao
Set Designer: XU Haidong
Lighting Designer: HUANG Yi
Music Designer: CHENG Jiajia
Costume Designer: ZHAO Yunan
Makeup Designer: REN Wei
Sound Designer: WANG Zichun
Movement Director: YU Chenxi
Reader/Luka/Chubukov/Leonov: CHU Shuanzhong
Popova: CHANG Yuhong
Natalya: JIANG Jiaqi
Apromylov: ZHANG Jie
Smirnov: ZHOU Chuanjie
Lomov: XUE Fei
Chekhov was an outstanding representative of Russian realistic literature in the late 19th century. Dramatic works are the “bright pearls” among his creations. Love, Chekhov is based on his three one-act comedies - The Bear, The Proposal and The Wedding, which are rearranged creatively to explore the meaning and value of love, an eternal theme of life, through a contemporary lens and structure.
The Wedding tells a story that takes place at a middle-class Russian wedding, where a series of absurd events occur due to social role dislocation, satirising the doctrine of “Money Talks”, a view of marriage and love prevalent in those days. The Bear tells a story about a man and a woman, who are hostile to and disgusted with each other at first, falling uncontrollably in love at last. Humorously, it depicts how love brings happiness abruptly. The Proposal depicts a hilarious quarrel between a man, the suitor, and the girl. Ultimately, their differences are resolved with the power of love, making them agree with each other.
In playful resonance, the three farces are of the hyperbolic style commonly seen in popular comedies, they echo one another in an intertextual manner. Additionally, in the drama are famous characters and stories from a few novels by Chekhov, such as A Joke, The Man in a Case, The Bride and About Love. They weave through the plot, interacting with the characters in the drama, bringing into being a universe parallel to Chekhov’s world of literature. Their voices sound like a symphony of echoes, revealing Chekhov’s wisdom on life and love.
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*The cast, programme, or other performance details are subject to change and shall be based on the live performance. In the event of major adjustments - such as changes to the performance date or lead cast - please refer to the official announcements issued by the NCPA and follow the relevant procedures as instructed.
*The NCPA opens 90 minutes before performances, and 60 minutes before art education lectures and similar events. Auditorium entry begins 45 minutes before performances. For all performances and events, the Northern entrance serves as the sole public entrance. Please ensure that ticket scanning and security screening are completed prior to entry, and allow sufficient time to avoid delays.
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*All attendees are requested to observe proper performance etiquette. Please keep quiet and remain seated throughout the entire performance. Mobile phones should be turned off or set to silent mode, and calls should not be made in the auditorium. Photography, audio, or video recording of the performance is strictly prohibited without prior permission. The use of flashlights, including phone flashlights, is not allowed.
* After the performance, please exit the auditoriums in an orderly manner. Loitering is discouraged.
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