Home » Onstage

Onstage

The Cherry Orchard
Theatre Listings

A New “Cherry Orchard” Blooms at the Will Geer Botanicum
By Gerry Furth-Sides

Luxuriating in the open air of the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum is delightful enough for anyone to venture up to Topanga Canyon theatre, even without the stimulation of a new version of Anton Chekhov's play, "The Cherry Orchard." The beautiful huge, old trees surrounding the rustic stage make the setting of a house in the play all the more realistic and at the same time all the more enchanting.

Picnic tables and benches around the theatre are perfect for pre-performance picnics, inspiring conversation between friendly play goers, especially with our cherry dessert.

The play, described as "freely adapted," by Heidi Helen Davis (director) and Ellen Geer (lead character) is not only updated in but also rewritten. This is unlike other local versions of "The Cherry Orchard," in which only the clothes and setting are updated.

Chekkov wrote the play about the decline of the Russian aristocracy at the turn of the 20th century. Davis and Geer updated it to 1970s conservative Virginia during the aftermath of the civil rights movement. As in the Russian original, a genteel family clings to tradition in the midst of a quickly changing socio-economic and political world.

In both stories, the cherry orchard symbolized the leisurely way of life on the family estate, afforded to the landed gentry only by others working the land for them. It is also a lifestyle about to become obsolete because of socio-political circumstances.

Lead character Lubov Andreyevna Ranevsky or "Lillian Randolph Cunningham" in this adaptation, is the indulged, aging aristocrat, played here with a frenzied "free spirit" energy by Ellen Geer. We meet Lillian upon her return from an extended five-year trip to Paris to face the loss of her estate after a default on the mortgage. She is not so much clueless about finance as she is silly and adolescent and idealistic. Daughter Anya (a lovely Willow Geer) brings her home to take care of business, she herself lingering in Paris for months!

It is fitting that the first scene takes place in the children's nursery since this family has never had to officially grow up. Everyone is delighted that the cherry trees are flowering even though it is frosty outside and might kill them.

We have already met the man who has the family's fate in his hands. The grandson of a slave, Steve Matt is the believable, aggressive Black businessman, Lawrence Poole. In the original play, this was the role of Lopakhin, a former land tenant.

And here the modernized version runs into difficulties. Poole is written as educated, astute and observant. While Chekhov's Lopakhin, a peasant, becomes loud and gaudy. Despite the Ranevsky family's kindness to Lopakhin, his innate respect and fear of the caste system paled beside the thought of owning the land he and his forefathers worked to support the idle Ranevsky family.

Poole's introspective feelings toward the mistress of the house, however, are a mix of this respect for the family's place and because of their kindness to him. This is a bit hard to believe because there is little that is genteel or appealing about Lillian, including her accent. Where is Blythe Danner (combining her roles in "The Great Santini" and "Will & Grace") when you need her most?

Another puzzling note is that Lillian's adopted daughter in the play, a solid Tippi Thomas as Velina (Varya) is Black, which is never explained. Being neither family nor employee in the original story consumes the seemingly placid Varya. Here Lillian tries to marry Valina off to Poole (a terrific solution actually) but whether it works or doesn't, Lillian will be off and running to a new life without her.

As usual, the Theatricum Botanicum ensemble appears radiantly happy to be on stage, and the feeling is contagious. This includes William Dennis Hunt as Gates Randolph (Lionid Gaev); Jerry Hoffman as Parnell Sanford (Semyonov-Pischchik); Emma Fassler as Dolores Hughes (Dunyasha); Matt Van Winkle as Buck Yankins (Yasha); Melora Marshall as Carlotta Schmidt (Carlotta); J.R. Starr as Fred Jasper (Firs); Tyler Rhoades as Yancy Ogelsby (Yepikhodov); and Marc Ewing as Terence Moses (Petya Trominov).

"The Cherry Orchard" and other plays in the schedule run through September. Tickets range from $10 to $30. The Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum is located at 1419 North Topanga Canyon Blvd Valley. For information on performances and the new features of themed dinners to certain performances from local restaurants this year, call:

(310) 455-3723 or visit online:
www.theatricum.com.

back to top