About the Play:

Platonov is a full-length drama by Anton Chekhov, translated by John Christopher Jones. Finding himself on a downward spiral fuelled by lust and alcohol, Platonov proudly adopts as his motto "speak ill of everything." A shining example of the chaos that reigned in his era, Platonov is a Hamlet whose father was never murdered, a Don Juan who cheats on his wife and his mistress, and the hero of the as-yet unwritten great Russian novel of his day.

Platonov is a self-destructive rural schoolteacher. Love affairs, discussions of debts, drink, boredom and monotony are the landscape in which the guests on the veranda of the attractive widow Anna Petrovna lead their lives, until the arrival of a young teacher, Platonov, who will have a profound effect on their stagnant existence. However, the charming hero's lustre gradually fades as he wastes his time enjoying the frailties of others and putting his own to the test. Four women are sucked into the vortex of his charm and his dangerous game will have unforeseen consequences for everyone. In his first play, Platonov, Chekhov tackles the main thematic motifs that will occupy him in the future. His heroes are ruled by the passions and frailties of human nature, expectations are unfulfilled, and life is a futile quest for happiness in which comedy and drama endlessly alternate, just as in real life.

Platonov is Chekhov's first play, written when he was just 21. It went unproduced during his lifetime.

Cast: 4 female, 9 male

About the Playwright:

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860-1904) was a Russian physician, dramaturge and author of hundreds of short stories and several plays. He is regarded by many as both the greatest Russian storyteller and the father of modern drama. From Chekhov, many contemporary playwrights have learnt how to use mood, apparent trivialities and inaction to highlight the internal psychology of characters. His plays, including The Seagull, Uncle Vanya, The Three Sisters, and The Cherry Orchard, are performed in theatres throughout the world and he is second only to Shakespeare in the number of productions his plays receive.

John Christopher Jones has over 50 years of experience as an actor, director, translator and adapter. An Associate Director of the Depot Theatre in upstate New York, he has appeared on Broadway, Off-Broadway, in regional theatre, in films and on TV.