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, ...

A musical play about two meandering lives, which has a meandering past of its own.