Some stories take you on a long journey. ("Lord of the Rings," anyone?) Anton Chekhov's masterpiece, "Three Sisters," does as well; this time, however, it is a complex philosophical journey instead of a physical one. In this play, we travel with the Prozorov family as they take a complex existential twist on the ordinarily cliched question of the meaning of life.
"Three Sisters" is internationally acclaimed Polish director Krystian Lupa's first work in America and a project that took six years in the translating. While he is a newcomer to the English-speaking theater world, Lupa is highly revered in his native country; his production of "Three Sisters" sets the standard for interpreting Chekhov's original script.
Sisters Irina, Olga and Masha and their brother Andrei feel trapped in their provincial lives in a small Russian town, and they constantly dream about escaping to the excitement of Moscow. They long for true love and fulfillment, both of which they hope to find in their only friends, the soldiers stationed nearby. These amateur philosophers join the family in contemplating the purpose of their lives, from the idea of marriage to the future of society.
"Three Sisters" takes on an existential "Waiting for Godot" quality as the Prozorov family maintains a perpetual state of waiting and longing to escape to Moscow, where they are sure they'll find happiness. However, like "Godot," the story's tension is derived from the fact that their goal is ultimately unattainable; instead of finding release in the city, the Prozorovs will remain forever trapped within the confines of their little bumpkin town.
In further "Godot" style, the play contains very little action or plot movement. The bulk of "Three Sisters" is made up of the characters' interactions and dialogue amongst the family members and the soldiers.
The female actors in this production distinguish themselves as the main characters through their dramatic soul-searching. At times, their performances are almost over-the-top, but for the most part, the leading triumvirate acts very realistically and naturally. Kelly McAndrews portrays Olga the most melodramatically, while Sarah Grace Wilson (Irina) and Molly Ward (Masha) bring just the right amount of exaggeration to their characters.
Their male counterparts provide a realistic and entertaining backdrop to the ladies' roles. Chris McKinney is especially amusing as the moody but sarcastic soldier Solyony.
For his part, Lupa does an excellent job of modernizing the characters, shaping their speech and movements into a format that is contemporary enough to keep the audience engaged.
Acting as set designer as well, Lupa does an excellent job of utilizing the one-scene stage. The incorporation of a scrim as a window-like wall separating the family's living room from the outside world or from the adjoining dining room is both effective and eye-catching.
The plot has the characteristically existential feeling of nothingness, but the strong dialogue keeps this aspect from bringing the play down. What does become a problem, though, are the number of prolonged silences when the characters just stand silently and sometimes the lights go out, as well.
That's not to say that silences aren't essential to this play. At first, these pregnant moments effectively emphasize the hopelessness of the sisters' stagnant situation; but they eventually make what little action there is drag until it ultimately grinds to a halt.
The script of the play is not inordinately long to achieve the desired amount of philosophizing and soul-searching, yet the production runs almost four hours, and there isn't enough going on to prevent the viewer from wondering when (and if) intermission is ever coming.
The third and fourth acts seem to move more quickly than the first, perhaps due to the fact that the second half contains more action and fewer long, lights-out silences. These acts are supposed to be happier and more optimistic, reflected in the brighter, more open set. Also, the women wear red and the men wear neutrals, compared to the black tones of costume and set color for the first and second acts.
Despite the cheerier palette, the characters act even more pessimistically in the latter acts than in the first half of the show. The sisters complain about every possible facet of their lives to the point where the audience becomes annoyed. This effect was neither Chekhov's nor Lupa's intention, and it takes away from the message of the play.
This particular production drags on for a little too long, but it is still a powerful start as Krystian Lupa's first work with an English-language company. Hopefully, Lupa will further develop his potential with more experience in American theatre.
