The Cherry Orchard

Madame Ranevskya returns from Paris as the family estate, including her beloved cherry orchard, is about to be sold to pay for mounting debts. Revelling in past glories and their extravagant lifestyle, the family ignore all offers of help. The Cherry Orchard captures the sexual and emotional turbulence of a family whose pride leaves them unable to adapt. One of the most popular of Chekhov's great 'comedies of life', it remains as funny and potent today as when it was written. Premiering in Moscow in 1904, the production was directed by Constantin Stanislavski. Anton Chekhov intended this play as a comedy and it does contain some elements of farce; however, Stanislavski insisted on directing the play as a tragedy. Since this initial production, directors have had to contend with the dual nature of this play. The play focuses on an aristocratic Russian woman and her family as they return to the family's estate (which includes a large and well-known cherry orchard) just before it is auctioned to pay the mortgage. While presented with options to save the estate, the family essentially does nothing and the play ends with the estate being sold and the family leaving to the sound of the cherry orchard being cut down. The story presents themes of cultural futility both the futility of the aristocracy to maintain its status and the futility of the bourgeoisie to find meaning in materialism.