Donald Cooper

Anton Chekhov

Devised by Michael Pennington

from the writings of Anton Chekhov

 


Cast 

Michael Pennington 

Designer  Alison Chitty


Click here for other Chekhov links and articles. 


The National Theatre also has a video on Chekhov to which Michael is a contributor. Click here to go to the page.


Michael Talks to Theatre Voice about playing Chekhov: http://www.theatrevoice.com/2477/michael-pennington-talks-chekhov/#.Uixk_sagk3E

Michael Pennington’s celebrated one man show ANTON CHEKHOV takes the form of an evening spent in the company of the Russian writer towards the end of his life. In it he reminisces about his life, his times and work; he demonstrates his writing technique by telling stories, speaks about the theatre and engages deeply and humorously with his English audience.


Pennington’s portrayal has been universally praised, and is now celebrated by the publication of his account of the years of researching the show, Are You There Crocodile - Inventing Anton Chekhov.


Premiered at the National Theatre in 1984, Anton Chekhov has played at the Belfast Festival, the Jerusalem Festival, toured Israel and Germany and played seasons in Barcelona and Dublin. It was seen in the 1997 Peter Hall season at the Old Vic, at the Minerva Theatre Chichester in 2002, and in January 2003 at the National Theatre and on tour once more. It has been broadcast in two separate radio adaptations and been the subject of an Omnibus documentary on BBC television.


The current production has been substantially revised.





To watch a 15-minute excerpt of Anton Chekhov on You Tube click on the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzV3TIhi3HA





It is fortunate that so remarkable a writer and man has attracted so remarkable an actor as Michael Pennington... Chekhov in all his humour and humanity

-Sunday Telegraph


Marvellously done... Chekhov to the life

-New York Times


Totally compelling... A beautifully modulated piece of acting

-The Guardian


Fearless and moving…

-Time Out


To read full reviews, click here

Return  to Career

Michael has several appearances lined up over the next few months.

They are entitled King Lear in Brooklyn and Chekhov in Siberia.

The former consists of readings from the book, plus a signing and Q & A;

The latter is not the full length Chekhov show but an hour’s dramatised reading of the Chekhov’s travels in Siberia - which was originally a radio production which Michael has now adapted for the stage.

Click here for a list of the venues and contact details: