Anton Chekhov's Vaudevilles, Jermyn Street Theatre

The fact that Anton Chekhov's Vaudevilles is translated and adapted by the brilliant Michael Frayn was enough to set the heart beating on entering the small jewel that is the Jermyn Street Theatre. This is a show enjoying its third revival and there's much to enjoy in the six sketches that comprise Anton Chekhov's Vaudevilles, but... it is still Chekhov, so even when he's being funny there are long lead times into the action, and the characters are not of the heartwarming kind.

Russian evolution

What works really well in this production are the pieces with women. All the female characters are assertive, argumentative, feisty and frolicsome, a pleasant change from genteel Russian stage ladies bemoaning life's struggle and the loss of money, of love, and of cherry orchards. In the first skit, Drama, a pushy literary woman literally drives a writer to murder. In The Bear, a widow's vow of chastity is tested during a battle of wills that leads to a duel. The Proposal has a confident landlord's daughter rowing ferociously over ownership of a meadow with a neighbour who's called round to propose marriage. The first piece is fun and the second two build to beautifully nuanced cacophonies.

The all male pieces don't fare so well. While  The Inspector General is a clever two hander, The Alien Corn and The Evils of Tobacco fall flat. Under Jenny Eastop's direction, the cast of six - Tara Dowd, Alexandra Ryall, Oliver Lavery, Ben Higgins, Michael Watson-Gray and Jeremy Booth - works well on a set that offers little creative support.

In conclusion: The revelation in Anton Chekhov's Vaudevilles is the portrayal of women as powerful players, and it's always interesting to see a celebrated writer's earlier material. It will help, of course, if you're a Chekhov fan and have some sense of the people and the lifestyles that inspired his work.

References
Jermyn Street Theatre, Tickets

The Jermyn Street Theatre,   16b Jermyn Street, London SW1Y 6ST.     Run ends Feb 1.