The Cherry Orchard

Madame Ranyevskaya and her daughter, Anya, have returned to Russia from Paris to find their estate caught in a swiftly changing world. First performed in Moscow in 1904, Chekhov's dramatization of the collapse of the Russian aristocracy is a cornerstone of modern literature. In this 1974 BBC classic, British radio acting styles meet the classic stage, and the result may sound a bit stuffy to contemporary ears. No matter how Russian the names and phrases may be, they are spoken with decidedly upper-crust British accents. Still one can almost see the characters sitting in period costumes in the drawing room. Like many of the world's finest works, THE CHERRY ORCHARD, with its timeless dialogue and images, adapts well to audio theater. B.P. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine


Only the Russians could have called Chekhov's last play a comedy. This L.A. Theatre Works production leans more heavily on the dramatic, even tragic, elements of the play. Marsh Mason is particularly strong as Ranevskaya, who has returned to her beloved estate several years after her young son drowned there, only to watch it slip from the family's hands. Hector Elizondo, as Ranevskaya's brother, is an excellent supporting character, as is Michael Cristofer as the wealthy neighbor who ultimately buys the property. The lone clunker in the cast is Jennifer Tilley, who is entirely inappropriate for her small role. D.B. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine