Reza de Wet plays have drawn on Russian author Anton Chekhov as inspiration. DRIE SUSTERS TWEE (THREE SISTERS TWO) have the characters of Chekhov's THREE SISTERS moving to the structure and rhythm of THE CHERRY ORCHARD. The shadowy undertow of UNCLE VANYA, so carefully concealed behind Chekhov's lively dialogues, became the expressionistic spirit in the award winning YELENA. This year, opening at the National Arts festival, de Wet's ON THE LAKE borrowed from THE SEAGULL, recalling the life of the actress Nina, who longs for freedom; Madame Arkadina, losing the battle against the passing of youth; and Polina, whose life consists of dashed
The Cherry Orchard from both The Guardian and "The Independent" newspapers. It was funded by Arts Council England, National Lottery and a long list of other Brighton and Hove based businesses. In April 2010 at the Royal Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh the Scottish playwright John Byrne staged a new version of the play as a Scottish 'social comedy', taking place in 1979 Scotland. The Royal National Theatre in London staged a new version starring Zoë Wanamaker from May to August 2011, reuniting director Howard Davies with writer Andrew Upton, which was also shown at cinemas internationally through National Theatre Live. The Eastern Bohemian