Explore these unique works of Russian genius Anton Chekhov

Anton Chekhov was best known for his short stories and four major plays that have been staged around the globe and across generations These include The Cherry Orchard Three Sisters Uncle Vanya and The Seagull However before he wrote some of the longer plays young Chekhov had been writing oneact sketches inspired by the French vaudevilles while he was still in school In the late 1890s he brought his oneact farces to the Russian theatres These bitesized comedies commented on the absurdity of situations and mannerisms of people by infusing light humour and several moments of exaggerationAnton ChekhovThis Wednesday the National Centre for the Performing Arts NCPA will screen National Theatre Londonrsquos latest production of Vanya starring Andrew Scott The play has been adapted by Simon Stephens from Chekhovrsquos masterpiece and has been directed by Sam Yates Chekhov had originally titled it The Wood Demon but it transformed in its revisions and became what is today one of his best plays The lead characters Sonya and Uncle Vanya spend their lives looking after the family estate until Sonyarsquos father enters with a new wife and things begin to change The earliest productions of the play took place in 1898 in Russia The play today lives on in its many adaptations and retellings worldwide On March 6 6 pm onwardsAt Godrej Dance Theatre NCPA Nariman Point Log on to in bookmyshowcom for ticketsCost Rs 500 onwardsWersquove curated four lesserknown plays that Chekhov fans will enjoyThe ProposalThe play begins with a welldressed Lomov visiting his neighbour Chubokov to ask him for his daughter Natalyarsquos hand in marriage However the conversation soon turns into an unexpected series of arguments between Natalya and Lomov These begin with both claiming the ownership of The Oxen Meadows It soon grows into one about the greatness of their respective dogs Through all this we see Lomov palpitating and losing sensation in his leg as the two nevertheless continue to quarrel away Itrsquos a classic example of Chekhovrsquos pointed criticism about the Russian landowning class written through the use of satireLog on to The Lambs Theatre Lab production of the playYouTubeThe FestivitiesThe JubileeAndrei Shipuchin a proud bank manager is all set to celebrate his 15 years of managing the bank He puts his colleague to work on a speech for him so he could read it at the party However his wife turns up unexpectedly and begins narrating an utterly useless story about people she saw on the train and the party she attended At the same time another woman walks in convinced that her husband worked at their office even though he didnrsquot She complains that he was unjustly fired and repeatedly shows his medical certificate asking for compensation The play is a ribtickling watch as we see the two bank officers getting completely frazzled by the interruptionsLog on to A Production by Students from VLO KrakowYouTubeThe BearThe protagonist Elena Popova eschewed all contact with the outside world ever since her husband died a few months ago One day however a stranger Smirnov enters her house demanding that she pay the debt her husband owed to him Even though Elena denies having any money with her Smirnov is stubborn and unwilling to leave until he is paid They enter into a heated argument which intensifies when Elena takes her husbandrsquos rifle out Although taken aback Smirnov is also smitten by her courage Their fight dissolves soon and he confesses his love for her Elena must decide whether Smirnov should leave or stay Chekhov based Elena and Smirnovrsquos characters borrowing from stock characters in ancient Greek comedies who were impostorsLog on to The Lambs Theatre Lab productionYouTubeOn the Harmful Effects of TobaccoThe play is a monologue written from the point of view of one Ivan Nyukhin It is supposed to be a speech on the dangers of tobacco as the title suggests though Nyukhin confesses to be a smoker This confession is a small hint for the audience that he isnrsquot going to go far in his speech and it will not be as straightforward as one would expect Nyukhin keeps digressing often into complaints about his life and his wifersquos school and ultimately fails to deliver something of actual value Chekhovrsquos purpose of writing the play was not to actually throw light on the illeffects of smoking but to show a glimpse as with his other works into Russian life through Nyukhinrsquos dejected loneliness hidden behind his comical speechLog on to National Cool Theatrersquos productionYouTube