The three Chekhov plays in the compilation entitled The Bear and Other Comic Tales depict frustrated characters recalling what they have lost and yearning for a different life
The show opens with The Evils Of Tobacco published in 1886 in which the character Nyukhin (Rupert Mason) arrives to give a town hall lecture on the horrors of tobacco despite being a smoker himself, and every so often taking a sniff from his snuff box.
He has barely introduced the topic before he complains to us about his supposedly dominating wife he wants to escape, to run away from. Throwing off his waistcoat, he claims he should shed his old life. But he knows the escape won’t happen.
In Swansong, the older actor Svietlovidoff wakes after drinking too much alcohol in an empty theatre that was earlier holding a benefit for him. He feels old and alone with only the grave to look forward to.
He is startled by the entry of the theatre prompter Ivanitch wearing a white nightshirt. He has also stayed the night and provides Svietlovidoff with an audience to appreciate him quoting bits of Shakespeare’s speeches that effectively remind him why he has stayed with theatre, even sacrificing other possible opportunities in his life.
The longest of the three plays is The Bear published in 1888. It delivers a surprisingly swift romance, which begins in a conflict and ends with a kiss. Elena (Léa Desjacques), dressed in an impressive black dress, is still mourning her husband who died seven months earlier. He had treated her badly but she was being faithful to his memory.
Smirnov arrives angrily demanding money he claims the husband owed for a supply of oats. Elena says he can have the money when her steward returns “the day after tomorrow”, which Smirnov (Justin Butcher) says would be too late to pay off his debts, so he will stay in her house till he is paid and calls for the footman to bring him a drink.
They shout at each other a little longer till Smirnov, in the heat of the row, challenges her to a duel, which she agrees to, walking off to collect the pistols. Impressed by how strong-willed and assertive Elena is, Smirnov feels he is falling in love with her.
The show is entertaining and mildly amusing, but there is never enough time to give us well-rounded characters. The plots are improbable and the serious issues are framed in light-hearted humour, which feels very old-fashioned.