I meant to mention this some time ago, but I found it to be such a dreadful experience that I sought to excise it from my memory instead. However, the memory of this awful production just won't go away.

It was dull, dull, dull. I am very fond of Chekhov and have seen some marvellous productions of his plays. However, this was not one of them. There was no context, the characterisation was shallow and there was no believable dramatic tension. I didn't believe any of it. It was just a group of actors and actors doing actorly and actressy things. Its not that the acting was bad - indeed, there were some good individual performances. It was the poor direction, which failed miserably to create any sense of atmosphere or of flowing drama.

Perhaps what depressed me the most was the fulsome applause at the end. Could the audience really have been watching the same play? I suspect that many of the audience probably wouldn't have come anywhere near it had not Ms. Lumley been in it. I also suspect that they were clapping because this is the expected thing to do - i.e. they were also performing a role. It was enough to turn any discerning punter off theatre for life.

Hmm, I enjoyed it, although I'm not familiar with Checkov, so.. It wasn't great, though.

I thought the chap who played the student was very good.

Hopefully I qualify as the sort of lowbrow scum that puts you off going to the theatre! Did you see "How to disappear completeley and never be found"?

Hmm, I enjoyed it, although I'm not familiar with Checkov, so.. It wasn't great, though.

I thought the chap who played the student was very good.

Hopefully I qualify as the sort of lowbrow scum that puts you off going to the theatre! Did you see "How to disappear completeley and never be found"?

I agree with him here. I didnt see it, and some reviews were good and some bad. I do think people sometimes clap at highbrow plays, even if they dont understand them. If something is dull its dull, whether by a famous author or not.

I am very fond of Chekhov and have seen some marvellous productions of his plays. However, this was not one of them. There was no context, the characterisation was shallow and there was no believable dramatic tension. I didn't believe any of it. It was just a group of actors and actors doing actorly and actressy things. Its not that the acting was bad - indeed, there were some good individual performances. It was the poor direction, which failed miserably to create any sense of atmosphere or of flowing drama.

Oh, I envy you for being familiar enough with Chekhov to know the difference.

I posted my rather insipid review (http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?p=2070592&highlight=lumley#post2070592) soon after I'd seen it.

Did you see "How to disappear completely and never be found"?

This is what we want regional theatre studios for!

Sheffield Crucible Theatre Studio was the only place that would put this on, even though it had won the 2005 John Whiting award for new writing.

I thoroughly loved it - the acting, the production, the staging, the lighting, the sound.

This is not an insipid review, it's a 'blinking flip, that was a brilliant play, and brilliantly done' review.

This is what we want regional theatre studios for!

Sheffield Crucible Theatre Studio was the only place that would put this on, even though it had won the 2005 John Whiting award for new writing.

I thoroughly loved it - the acting, the production, the staging, the lighting, the sound.

This is not an insipid review, it's a 'blinking flip, that was a brilliant play, and brilliantly done' review.

It was indeed very good, and pretty much did justice to the great writing. I thought all 3 male actors were excellent, but the 2 women were a bit average. Nothing sexist there, it's just how it was.

The set and use of music were also really well done, and the play itself contains heaps of truth. "I'm not depressed, I just think that things might actually be sh*t" is a line that will stay with me. Makes you dead chuffed to live in Sheffield with this sort of stuff on offer.

I also loved both Cherry Orchard and How to... - especially since I went to the Public Dress Rehearsals of both - tickets to fab plays for a quid each cant be bad :D Thought the old guys on both plays were fab - one dying in Cherry Orchard (Firs) and the other describing the stuff in the underground (loved all those phones and passports in later scenes !)

They had some technical problems with the bed during the intermission on How to... - was funny listening to all the banging and electric drills/screwdrivers wizzing backstage :P

I went to see the Cherry Orchard and left at the interval. I felt a bit guilty and low brow at not enjoying Chekov. Maybe it was the direction as LordChaverley suggested, as the actors seemed to be pretty good.

I had spent most of the first act trying to telepathically dare Joanna Lumley to wake up an old lady in the front row. I spent most of the second act in the pub.

I went to see the Cherry Orchard and left at the interval. I felt a bit guilty and low brow at not enjoying Chekov. Maybe it was the direction as LordChaverley suggested, as the actors seemed to be pretty good.

I had spent most of the first act trying to telepathically dare Joanna Lumley to wake up an old lady in the front row. I spent most of the second act in the pub.

I know exactly how you felt. I wish I had gone to the pub as well. Don't let this experience put you off Chekhov though.