The Cherry Orchard

By Anton Chekov

2010

SUMMARY
Set in the early part of 20th century Russia, Chekhov’s classic comedy The Cherry Orchard is the story of the tragic-comic events that take place in the household of Lyuba Ranevskaya. The descendants of an old aristocratic family, Lyuba and her brother Gayev cannot come to terms with the social and economic changes surging around them. When the money runs out, Lyuba is forced to return from Paris to Russia. It quickly becomes clear that the old estate must be sold and the family itself begins to disintegrate—each member desperate either for drastic change, or to cling to the old life as they know it. The Cherry Orchard was Chekhov’s final play. It reflects a collection of events from his own life, and perhaps because it was his last play, he captures in humorous, bittersweet empathy a family’s struggle with fading dreams against the backdrop of a growing revolutionary machine.

“The show is impeccably produced on several levels…”
—The Cape Cod Times

“In Elements Theatre Company’s dramatic rendition of Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard, no detail is overlooked, from lively Russian folk dancing to the perfect pronunciation of tongue-twisting Russian names….”
—The Cape Codder

“Elements’ portrayal is both beautifully constructed and superbly acted, and the company pulls together a seamless depiction of a family falling apart….”
—The Barnstable Patriot