18 May 2003
The Guthrie Theater

RIGHT. SO. I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that I've been hearing the word "Chekovian" bandied about like a shuttlecock for years now. And I, for one, am fed up to the gills. How many times have you heard:

"The Chekovian mood requires a very fine ear for musicality..."

"More Neil Simon-ized than Chekovian..."

"Character sketches of Chekovian poignance and insight!"

But, despite in spite of all that context, I actually anticipated finally getting to see with my own two eyes what this "Chekov" is up to.

I think Chekovian is supposed to refer to any exploration of mundane small-town life. And, indeed, there was a lot of sighing and false pretension. But, finally, I think I was supposed to emerge from this play thoroughly depressed. (I hadn't felt this supposedly depressed since I walked out of the horribly unsubtle Requiem for a Dream.) Basically, in the first few minutes of the play, you meet the three little sisters and learn their three little hopes and dreams. Then you sit there for three big hours while each of the three little lives is ruined by their brothers' extremely evil wife, Natalya Ivanovna. Rrrgh... That Natalya Ivanovna is just so mean! And so evil!

Also, at the end there is a duel and somebody dies. How Chekovian!


Nutritional Equivalent: Three Corned Beef Sandwiches