The Bear (and other comedies)
By Anton Chekov
Directed by David Green
For those seeking a much-needed night of comedy, rehearsals are under way for a tour of three of Anton Chekhov’s one-act farces – The Bear, The Proposal and The Evils of Tobacco.
The highly talented cast comprises Emma Martin, Ben Willmott, Bob Good and John Levantis, all very experienced actors who have appeared in a variety of previous Open Space productions.
In The Bear a landowner calls on a young widow to request payment for a debt incurred by her late husband. When the money is not forthcoming, tempers fray with hilarious consequences.
In The Proposal a hypochondriac landowner calls to request the hand in marriage of his neighbour’s daughter. But the path of true love is never smooth and romance turns to acrimony as old grievances come to light.
In The Evils of Tobacco, a hen-pecked, bullied husband sets out on his wife’s instructions to give a public talk, only to be diverted into a lament for his miserable life and a dream of escape.
Toured Spring 2022
Cast
The Bear
Popova, a widow – Emma Martin
Smirnov, a landowner – Ben Willmott
Luka, Popova’s servant – Bob Good
The Evils of Tobacco
Nyukhin, his wife’s husband – John Levantis
The Proposal
Chubukov, a landowner – Bob Good
Natalya, his daughter – Emma Martin
Lomov, a neighbour – Ben Willmott
Review - David Vass
OPEN SPACE’S WELCOME REMINDER OF RUSSIAN CULTURE
Posted on 12th March 2022
Never a group to shy away from a challenge, Open Space Theatre have taken on three of Anton Chekhov’s rarely performed single act plays, with The Bear and The Proposal taking the lion’s share of stage time. Sandwiched between them was The Evils of Tobacco, a fifteen minute monologue delivered with understated reserve by John Levantis, providing a welcome sorbet between the knockabout fun of the other plays.
Intriguingly, director David Green chose to use the same cast for both. With Bob Good providing able support, Emma Martin and Ben Willmott took the roles of quarrelsome couples in both The Bear and The Proposal, which only highlighted the parallel themes of pointless acrimony and self-delusion.
Willmott went full on Brian Blessed in the Bear, while the twitching, stuttering Lomov demonstrated his wide comedic range. Emma Martin was more than a match for him, her vapidly aloof Popova contrasting wonderfully with her foot stomping Natalya. Martin was the only cast member to reprise her role, having played Natalya in the company’s previous presentation of The Proposal, nearly ten years ago, and it was fascinating to see how she has developed as a comic actor. On the previous occasion her performance was assured, but measured, while this time she seemed to having a fine old time vamping it up.
For the most part, both plays are silly confections and could be enjoyed at such, but I can’t think I was the only one occasionally lost in sober reflection that these frothy, yet acerbic, comedies showed a side to Russian culture that can so easily be forgotten in these troubling times.
by David Vass