Royal Court Theatre, Bristol Old Vic, Out of Joint present
Three Sisters
by Anton Chekhov
presented in repertoire with
The Break of Day
by Timberlake Wertenbaker
Director Max Stafford-Clark
Designer Julian McGowan
Songs Jeremy Sams
Lighting Johanna Town
Sound John A Leonard
Original cast:
Kate Ashfield, Anita Dobson, David Fielder, Maria Friedman, Bernard Gallagher, James Goode, Lloyd Hutchinson, Barnaby Kay, Madlena Nedeva, Brian Protheroe, Catherine Russell, Nigel Terry, Jerome Willis
World Premiere: 14 September, 1995, Bristol Old Vic
Three Sisters is widely regarded as Chekhov’s masterpiece. With wit and compassion he follows the dreams and ambitions of his three heroines as they and their circle of friends flirt, debate, and attempt to find meaning for their lives. “Work. We must work” declares the youngest. Chekhov catches his characters at a particular moment of crisis in their lives and at a moment of crisis in Russian history, at the end of the 19th century.
One hundred years further on, work is much more of a possibility but are women any nearer fulfilment? the Break of Day turns a sharp and beady eye on a group of friends, their husbands and lovers. Once again at the end of another century a feeling of dissatisfaction and unease pervades the group. Is it too late to have children, were they wrong to focus on work? With wit and vision Wertenbaker dissects the anxieties and obsessions of her characters.
‘Three Sisters is a wonderful production…The Break of Day is easily the most searching new play around’
Sunday Times