A great classic play up close and personal.

Old-fashioned yet very current, this play explores marital infidelity with glamour and a touch of Wildean wit.

Pros: The obviously enthusiastic cast make a decent attempt at Chekhovian drama. Cons: An awkward adaptation, misguided direction and a lack of depth let this production down. Why do we still love and perform Chekhov? Over a hundred years since the great Russian playwright’s death, this is a valid question, and one that director Phil Willmott tries to answer in his programme notes for Cherry Orchard (theThe has mysteriously vanished) at the Union Theatre. He wants to make the play ...

Pros: A voyeuristic Chekhov. Clear and easy to follow with no extraneous detail. Staged well with intricate use of sound. Some audience members loved it. Cons: It lacks the weight required by the text. Character is often diluted to serve the pace of the storytelling. A short jaunt through the rain from Southwark Tube, the new locale of the Union Theatre is a stone’s throw from its previous spot, albeit on the other side of the road. With its cosy bar, ...

Fast, funny, and approachable theatre which deserves a bigger audience.

A complete show – terrific acting, design, and direction.

A strong cast helps to make the relationships believable but I struggled to fully believe that the drama was unfolding during modern times. With so much technology it is hard to grasp the reasons why the sisters could not just up and leave.

The acting approach used in this production makes for high quality and honest performances, and also works to further express the chief concerns of the play.

An entertaining and dramatic production of a classic play, which releases the words of Chekhov into 2013 with an enriched gravity of emotion and meaning.

Anton Chekhov Translated and adapted by Michael Frayn Directed by Jenny Eastop ★★★★  Pros: Seamlessly staged and well-acted, with six different mini plays to get your teeth into. Cons: The sketch format meant there was, perhaps, an unsatisfying lack of investment in the characters. Our Verdict: A very professional production that will be accessible and enjoyable to most, but which as a consequence didn’t particularly push any boundaries. Courtesy of Jermyn Street Theatre When I was at school, I once wrote a sketch ...