Anton Chekhov

This edition presents the sixteen tales of the original collection ranging from well-known and acknowledged gems such as Agafya and on the road to others which will be fresh even to many seasoned readers of Chekhov in a brand-new translation by Hugh Aplin.

At the start of his twenties, when he was still in medical school, Anton Chekhov was also busily setting himself up as a prolific and popular writer. Appearing in a wide range of periodicals, his shrewd, stinging, funny stories and sketches turned a mocking eye on the mating rituals and money-grubbing habits of the middle classes, the pretensions of aspiring artists and writers, bureaucratic corruption, drunken clowning, provincial ignorance, petty crueltyon Russian life, in short. Chekhov was already developing his distinctive ear for spoken language, its opacities and evasions, the cliches we shelter behind and the cliches that betray us. The lively stories in The Prank feature both the themes and the characteristic tone that make Chekhov among the most influential and beloved of modern writers.

FIVE PLAYS

The most widely staged dramatist after Shakespeare, Chekhov left a deep mark both on the development of Russian literature and world theatre, with plays that were remarkable not just for their dialogue but their atmosphere and the tensions expressed between the lines.Collected in this volume are Chekhovs four most celebrated plays The Seagull, Uncle Vanya, Three Sisters and The Cherry Orchard in a brand-new translation by Hugh Aplin. In these personal stories of unfulfilled love, failed ambition and existential ennui, set against a background of unsettling social and economical change, the reader can appreciate the groundbreaking qualities of Chekhovs theatrical genius.

OXFORD WORLD S CLASSICS: EARLY STORIES

On a visit to a provincial town to see his sister Nina who is suffering from cancer, Alexei Laptev, who works for his father''s Moscow haberdashery business, falls in love with Yulia, the daughter of her doctor, and proposes to her. Although she does not reciprocate his feelings, she agrees to marry him and live with him in the capital, where the couple''s relationship is marred by tensions: Yulia is filled with regrets about her choice and boredom with her new existence, while Alexei is nagged by the suspicion that she married him for his money alone. However, as time passes and misfortune strikes, they both learn to reassess all of their assumptions.Chekhov''s second-longest prose work after The Steppe, Three Years is, in the author''s own words, a novel of Moscow life and an examination of its merchant classes. A powerful story of redemption and the nuances of human relationships, the novella helped cement Chekhov''s reputation as a major figure in Russian literature.

A collection of stories where action and drama are implied rather than described openly and which intend to leave much to the reader s imagination

Incisive, masterfully written tales -- set in Tsarist Russian milieux -- reveal noted author's skills in character, nuance, and setting development. Includes "The Black Monk" (1894), "The House with the Mezzanine" (1896), "The Peasants" (1897), "Gooseberries" (1898), and "The Lady with the Toy Dog" (1899).

In the stories by Anton Chekhov there is no seriousness of the plot, as in Dostoevskys novels, but together with simplicity and funny side of everyday life Chekhovs characters are not less dramatic or deep. However, polished sarcasm is not an obstacle for Chekhov to show his characters in a warm and realistic way. There is no grotesque of Saltikov-Schedrin who turns people into images; we can recognise an ordinary modern man on the pages of Chekhovs stories.

Stories by Anton Chekhov are short, but deep idea and complexity of literature composition are hidden behind their simplicity. Compactness, outstanding humour, irony and rich content make the stories unique with no equals in the world literature. Maksim Gorky wrote: "Nobody but Anton Chekhov understood so clearly and delicately the tragedy of little things of life, nobody before him could so grimly and truthfully describe people shameful and sad picture of their life in a dim chaos of bourgeois commonness."

Illustrated Edition: Features 20 stunning illustrations, capturing key moments of the play. Includes a Detailed Summary: A comprehensive and engaging summary that enhances understanding of the play. Character List: An in-depth list of characters, providing insights into their roles and relationships. Author Biography: Learn about the life and times of Anton Chekhov, giving context to this classic work. Immerse yourself in the timeless classic, "The Seagull" by Anton Chekhov, now presented in a captivating illustrated edition. This masterpiece, a cornerstone of Russian theatre and a gem of world literature, comes alive with 20 exquisite illustrations that vividly bring the characters and scenes to life."The Seagull" is a play of unrequited love, artistic ambition, and the bittersweet complexities of life. Set against the backdrop of a Russian country estate, it weaves a tale of characters grappling with love, loss, and the elusive nature of happiness. The play explores the intertwined fates of Konstantin Treplyov, a young playwright striving for literary success and the affections of Nina Zarechnaya, a beautiful aspiring actress. At the heart of their story is a struggle between the suffocating grip of old traditions and the daring allure of new artistic forms.This edition not only brings you Chekhovs original text but also enriches your reading experience with a comprehensive summary, providing a deeper understanding of the narrative and themes. The character list offers a detailed look into the lives of the characters, adding layers to their personalities and relationships. To complete your journey into Chekhovs world, the edition includes a biography of the author, giving context to his work and life.Perfect for both admirers of Chekhov and newcomers to his work, this illustrated edition of "The Seagull" is a treasure to behold. It promises not just a reading experience but a visual and emotional journey into the heart of a literary classic. Discover the timeless beauty and depth of Chekhovs world in this unique and beautifully crafted edition.

Liubov Ranevskya, a widowed landowner returns home more or less insolvent after five years abroad. Everything appears just as she remembers it but hers is a diminishing world. The vast and beautiful cherry orchard is soon to be sold off against her mounting debts.The insistent warnings of Lopakhin, a peasants son turned wealthy businessman, go unheeded, and more than the family estate is sacrificed:as Trofimov, the "eternal student" who hopes to inherit the future, tells her, "The whole of Russia is our orchard".Chekhovs last play (1904) is a poignant snapshot of the great, slow-rolling change that came to a head with the Russian revolution in 1917. Tom Stoppards English version of Chekhovs The Cherry Orchard had its first New York performance at the Harvey Theater, Brooklyn in January 2009, and its first London performance at the Old Vic Theatre in May 2009.

A civil servant stands accused of not understanding the rules of punctuation. He begins to go through the correct use of commas and semicolons, before arriving at the exclamation mark which, he realizes, in forty years of writing he has never used. His uncertainty spirals into a bizarre and paranoid fantasy, as everyday objects transform themselves into malevolent exclamation marks... Written between 1885 and 1886, when Anton Chekhov was on the verge of becoming a literary celebrity, this endearing collection of early stories reveals the comic talents of Russias most celebrated dramatist and short-story writer. .

The Seagull is one of the best ever dramas about the theatre, yet on the very first opening night it was a famous failure. The play triumphed later in Stanislavskis production and became one of the greatest events in the history of Russian theatre and one of the greatest new developments in the history of world drama.

Drama Classics: The Worlds Great Plays at a Great Little Price Set in a country weighed down by political, ideological and spiritual stagnation, Chekhovs compelling early play is rooted in the revolutionary atmosphere of Russia at the turn of the 20th century.Anton Chekhovs play Ivanov was first performed in 1887 at the Korsh Theatre in Moscow.This English version, in the Nick Hern Books Drama Classics series, is translated and introduced by Stephen Mulrine, with notes on Further Reading, a Chronology and a Pronunciation Guide.

And here comes the winning ticket! The numbers are When Ivan Dmitritch reads the newspapes, he sees that the winning numbers from the lottery are very much the same as his wifes ticket. They immediately start to daydream about all the things they can buy now and the life they are going to have from now on. And it is exactly because of this that they fail to notice the obvious problem. Enjoyable and amusing, "The Lottery Ticket" is one of those stories of Chekhov that can be grouped under the general "stories with a twist". A recommended read, by all means.

This collection features Chekhovs best-known short plays in brand new translations: three farces, two comic duologues and a monologue, all of them referred to by Chekhov as vaudevilles and all written in the late 1880s before any of his great full-length plays. I dont much care for theatre, he wrote at the time, but I do enjoy vaudevilles.The Bear, The Proposal and The Wedding are all farces on the preposterous business of courtship and marriage. A Tragic Figure and Swansong are comic duologues: one about a civil servant sweltering in Moscow coping with the incessant demands of his family from their summer dacha, the other about a melancholy old actor perked up by memories of past glories. On the Evils of Tobacco is a bittersweet monologue in which a scientific lecture is hijacked by thoughts of domestic misery.These accurate and actable translations by Chekhov expert Stephen Mulrine reveal a dramatist revelling in the broad comedy of human behaviour, a comedy which was refined in his later masterpieces.Highly entertaining, these comic shorts offer a fascinating insight into Chekhovs development as a dramatist, and will provide actors at any level student, amateur or professional with an ideal showcase. This edition also includes an introduction, a chronology of key dates, and a pronunciation guide.

Teas cold, lunch is late and the great Professor has turned out to be a fraud - for Uncle Vanya, life has gone wonky, its gone to hell. Only one thing can save him - a glamorous womans love. But shes not interested either. And whats worse, shes married to the Professor. Samuel Adamson new version of Anton Chekhovs Uncle Vanya - a dark and funny exploration of cross-purposed love, bitter jealousy and a dysfunctional family - opened at West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds, in February 2015.

Hear what I have to say about the cherry orchard, because it is mine. I say bring it down, tear it down. Smash it down and tear it down. Watch, watch. Just you watch. I will build holiday villas, as far as the eye can see. I will build a place for everyone to come and enjoy. For the future. And this will be the future. A new life. A new way of life. Here! Come now and play. Play. Play! Get the band to play.Ranyevskaya returns more or less bankrupt after ten years abroad. Luxuriating in her fading moneyed world and regardless of the increasingly hostile forces outside, she and her brother snub the lucrative scheme of Lopakhin, a peasant turned entrepreneur, to save the family estate. In so doing, they put up their lives to auction and seal the fate of the beloved orchard. Set at the very start of the twentieth century, The Cherry Orchard captures a poignant moment in Russias history as the country rolls inexorably towards 1917. The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov in a version by Andrew Upton, premiered at the National Theatre, London, in May 2011.

Young Chekhov contains a trilogy of plays by the Russian writer Anton Chekhov, written as he emerged as the greatest playwright of the late nineteenth century. The three works, Platanov, Ivanov and The Seagull, in contemporary adaptations by David Hare, will be staged at the Chichester Festival Theatre in the summer of 2015.