It appears that my previous post suggested that I do not like Chekhov.
I'm just saying that I have had enough Chekhov for a bit - and I cheekily bought Dominic Hill into it because he has a habit of jazzing up classic texts.
However, I like Chekhov so much that I did my own version of Uncle Vanya. Over four acts, my version explored questions of comedy (comparing Vanya to Jim 'Nicked Nicked' Davidson), the spiritual subtext of the finale (suffering as a redemptive process) and the history of Electronic Dance Music in the UK (1988 - 1994).
Chekhov's study of the family in crisis might be located in a Russia that was awaiting a revolution - there are plenty of ironic moments when the characters sigh over a coming new age, or bang on about the dignity of work - but it also has that universalism that great tragedy is supposed to have...
As far as I think universalism is possible, I guess.
And John Byrne's translations are pretty spiffy, too.
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