The Three Sisters review, The Lord Stanley NW1

It's a brave writer who decides to precis Chekhov, but Victor Sobchak has an advantage as a fellow Russian. His 90 minute version of The Three Sisters makes a good fist of a classic play chronicling the hopeless dreams and dalliances of women dependent on a feckless brother for their security, but splicing events without clear delineation - particularly between acts - leaves the audience running to keep pace from the off. I spent the interval on the web, reminding myself who was who, and why.

The small space upstairs at the Lord Stanley in Camden, perfectly underscores the closeness of the walls, and the lack of oxygen around highly educated women with aspirations that far exceed their opportunities, or capacity for, happiness and fulfilment. When the army arrives in town, there are suddenly new possibilities in terms of love and fulfilment. And greater possibilities of failure.

Emily Chase as Masha elegantly expresses the frustrations of a wife in a claustrophobic and unhappy marriage. Her love for the strangely spoken married officer, Vershinin, is moving. Clare Scott as Irina and Jennifer Halsey as Olga also shine. The men in the piece, however, suffer for lack of clarity and context - their roles and their relationships muddled and muddling in the first half.

In conclusion: There is a sense of Russia, but not of the Russian sensibilities which are what make the play work. Chekhov fans may, however, enjoy seeing how this Theatre Collection production attempts to cram the action.

References:
Three Sisters, buy tickets