OBSERVER: Three Sisters
1901 to 2025 – Three Sisters has not lost its relevance in being a tale of hope, love, longing and ambition.
Anton Chekhov, celebrated Russian playwright although ill, penned this his second last play.
Its first performance being in 1901 just three years before his death from years of suffering from Tuberculous.
The question was how can a Director, Greg Carroll, and a Theatre Company such as Theatre Works bring Three Sisters to the stage, fresh and uninhibited, with countless performances by others before hand over the last century. They certainly did, it was an unparalleled production.
Being the story of three sisters, Olga (28 years old), Masha (23), and Irina (20), and their younger brother Andrei, they were the children of a general and their mother who both died and were buried in Moscow, where the family lived most of their lives.
A Russian influence set, well devised provided the background for the Three Sisters to live in their family home as they progressed their own lives for better or worse.
Rather than dwell on the story that is timeless, the performers made this production special by capturing their roles with ease and great conviction.
Impressive was the body language they exuded throughout, particularly when sharing joyous or emotive dialogue.
The three sisters certainly bonded together and their level of interaction together was absorbing, each with their own particular desires, marriage hopes and a shared longing for Moscow.
Olga (Mia Landgren) who should have married her brother-in-law was a dominant and articulate figure throughout, while younger Irina (Stella Carroll) suffers with the death of her intended lover adding another spectrum of despair to the work.
Very noticeable was the performance of Marsha (Joanna Halliday) who captured her role with perfection and was a key to the high level of performance.
Andrei (Ty McKenzie), their brother, poor soul, was controlled by his wife Natasha (Belle Hansen) who married into the family and took control of the household.
Not to the liking of Anfisa (Rosemary Johns), the house keeper and the butler Ferapont (Syd Brisbane) and who both played their parts with great conviction and often with a touch of humor.
It is difficult to make mention of all, however there was no question that the Director had assembled Chebutykin (Chris Connelly), Vershinin (Gabriel Partington), Tuzenbach (Laurence Young) and Solyony (River Stevens) and Kulygin (Simon Chandler) as the husbands and lovers in this very entertaining and high-level performance.
Performance Season: Until March 22
Venue: Theatre Works, 14 Acland St, St Kilda
Bookings: theatreworks.org.au
Review by Graeme McCoubrie
Pictured: Joanna Halliday, Stella Carroll, and Mia Landgren in Three Sisters.
Photo: Steven Mitchell Wright.