I found the play Three Sisters quite funny and witty. The script was well written, with each personality very strong and contrasting. The play had an overall serious and tragic tone. However, there were characters who gave comic relief throughout. Act I was really optimistic, giddy, and really jolly. I especially loved the super long pause for the taking of the picture. It was a great comic relief. I went into the theatre thinking I was going to cry and feel super depressed after wards. Although it was depressing and intense, the comic relief was just enough to relieve those deep feelings.
Anton Checkov is exceptional, really. He is able to get to the point of depression, loneliness, and the search for happiness and love. As one of the characters says, "There is no happiness." We are just bodies floating around searching for our meaning in life. This is so depressing, and really gives us no reason to live. However, the characters each have an optimistic air about them that gives them hope for the future. The Doctor's monologue really gets to the point of this. Happiness is just out there, waiting for us to grab it. However, our lives are so meaningless really. We're just here for no reason it sometimes seems until we find that reason and live our lives to the fullest. However, he realized that his life had come to this part of old age, and he really knew nothing. He was just floating around and wondering if this was at all real, did he even really exist?? It was definitely a low point in the play. It made me think about where my life is going, what I really want to do with my life.
Chekov, well really Tracy Letts (the adapter) was very good at describing feelings and getting to the heart of them. The script captures the essence of depression and the loss of happiness throughout life. It also gets to the heart of marriage, that sometimes we must find someone to help us continue our life because they will help us be successful, as Irina did with the Baron. Also, since the play was during a span of about 5 or so years, I think that's what Alisha, Chris, and I decided on, it shows how much people can change, and fast!
The adaptation and possibly the director made a great choice for the transitions between the two first acts and the two last acts. The music went very well and the dress change and the actors walking around the stage in character was very well put together. I'm not entirely sure if that was a director choice or in the adaptation/script. But it was very well done.
Eveyone in Three Sisters dreamed of a better life, although some were quite satisfied. Kulygin was very satisfied married to his unfaithful wife Masha. He was happy, although she didn't love him, he was perfecty content.
However, life does change. Sometimes it's unexpected. Olga becomes the head mistress. She even says she never saw herself in that position. Masha falls in love with Vershinin, and yet Kulygin is still married to her and still in love with her. Irina marries without love and moves with the Baron, which she never expected. The soldiers are shipped off to Poland and the house is just left empty.
Chekov wrote a fantastic playwright. He understood the search that all people have for happiness. He understood how people yern for the things they cannot reach. Depression is a feeling that takes over everyone. However, the thing that makes or breaks a person is how they deal with that despression of life.
I loved the play. It was so very well-written and spoke to my heart. Loved it!
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7 comments:
I agree that the long pause for the picture was great!
On another note, I don't believe that the character of Kulygin was satisfied and happy. I think that was something he said to convince HIMSELF. I think he was a tortured and weak man, not wanting any confrontation. To him, living with pain and Masha was better than no Masha at all.
Yeah, I felt the same way thinking that I'd leave the play all depressed. I loved the first act and how funny some of the parts were, like the group picture scene. I loved the play too... SO much better than I had expected!
ahhhh yes ali. I agree what you're saying. He just gave the appearance of being happy.
I like this translation too. It made me laugh more than I was expecting. I also loved the picture scene. I just think it was so great, partly because I remember being in a class and talking about that in high school.
Interestingly enough, reading about this play prior to, I really thought that it was going to be extraordinarily depressing. But, what we found out was that over half of the play was quite lighthearted.
I'm guessing the transitions between the first two acts and the last two acts were probably the director's idea. That's a good question we can!
oh my goodness i loved the pause for the picture. very much comedic relef. funnnny! :) good blog!
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