The Cherry Orchard Tickets

The Cherry Orchard is one of the most produced plays in the history of 20^th century theatre. It has been adapted into many languages, including English. Whether it is a comedy or tragedy is for you to decide.

The Original Cherry Orchard

The play was premiered in 1904 at the Moscow Art Theatre. Directed by Konstantin Stanislavski, the play was described as a comedy by Chekhov; Stanislavski disagreed. For him, it was a tragedy. For the directors who subsequently staged this play, it was both a comedy and tragedy. Theatre historians, however, believe that it is one of the best works of Chekhov along with Uncle Vanya, Three Sisters and The Seagull.

The Cherry Orchard – Brief Synopsis

A young actress of an aristocratic background returns to her family estate as it is about to be auctioned to pay off the mortgage. There’s a cherry orchard on the estate. To the surprise of many, she allows the sale to the son of a former serf. The play captures the decline of the Russian aristocracy and the subsequent rise of the middle class and its newfound love for materialism.

The Real Story behind The Cherry Orchard

The play may be a work of fiction, but it would be wrong to assert that it is not based on true events. A lot of what goes on in the play is actually based on Chekhov’s life.

Chekhov was still in his teens when his mother was cheated by some builders whom she had hired to build a house. As a result, his mother went into debt. A person known to them came forward to financially help them but secretly bought their house. This was the same house whose mortgage was paid off by selling Chekhov’s childhood home. Chekhov was sixteen at this time and what he and his mother had to endure as a result of this treachery had a long lasting effect on his life. In a lot of ways, The Cherry Orchard is Chekhov’s outpouring.

The Cherry Orchard: Comedy or Tragedy?

While it is left to the audiences’ interpretation, Chekhov’s own life, once again, holds some clues. It must be remembered that this play was the fruit of years of Chekhov’s labor. Since it was written over several years, some of which can be classified as happy, while others sad for Chekhov’s, it reflects in the play. Therefore for some, the play has a dual nature. This has caused problems for subsequent directors whiling staging the play. Since Chekhov saw The Cherry Orchard as a comedy, while Stanislavski staged it as a tragedy, subsequent productions have had a hard time finding the right balance while staging The Cherry Orchard.

The Cherry Orchard on Broadway

There is no surprise that one of the finest plays ever written and produced is now being staged on Broadway. However, an interesting bit of trivia is that Diane Lane (yes the Oscar nominated actress) is playing Madame Lyubov Andreyevna Ranevskaya, the main protagonist. This would come as a nice surprise to art and theatre buffs that Lane, thirty nine years ago, made her debut Broadway appearance in The Cherry Orchard. At that time, she naturally played the role of a child. And now, almost four decades later, she is playing the lead role in the same production. “It’s wonderful to have this precious basket of memories to carry inside myself as I revisit the material.” – Diane Lane

Some say, while the play was written in the 19^th century, it still carries a valid message. This is for you to decide. And what’s more, you also need to decide for yourself whether it’s a comedy or tragedy. So get your The Cherry Orchard tickets today and look forward to an evening filled with social upheaval.