David Ashton (actor) Cherry Orchard" and then Kulyegin in "The Three Sisters" at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester. At the Royal Court Theatre, London, he played John in Christopher Hampton’s The Philanthropist with Alec McCowan, and also appeared in the West End musical Happy as a Sandbag at the Ambassadors Theatre and portrayed Mister Mulleady in Behan’s "The Hostage" at Greenwich Theatre. Most recently, he appeared as Sandy Sheridan in Uncle Varick, John Byrne’s version of Chekhov’s "Uncle Vanya", at the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh. He has also taught, directed and lectured at the Central School of Speech and Drama, Rose Bruford College,
The Cherry Orchard the day's events. Gayev is distant, virtually catatonic, and goes to bed without saying a word of the outcome of the auction. When Ranevskaya asks who bought the estate, Lopakhin reveals that he himself is the purchaser and intends to chop down the orchard with his axe. Ranevskaya, distraught, clings to Anya, who tries to calm her and reassure her that the future will be better now that the cherry orchard has been sold. Several weeks later, once again in the nursery (as in Act I), the family's belongings are being packed away as the family prepares to leave the