a production by Petru Vutcărău
THE CHEKHOV MACHINE
based on the play by Matei Vișniec
In THE CHEKHOV MACHINE, Matei Vișniec “resets” Chekhov. He extracts his characters from the plays in which they have lived for over a century and brings them face to face with their Creator.
These characters rebel against the destinies written for them. They demand answers from the Author, challenge the choices he made for them, and try to imagine different lives for themselves. From this confrontation emerges a theatrical game in which Chekhov’s world is dismantled and set in motion once again by Vișniec.
Seen from the present, however, these old destinies become disturbingly relevant. People leave in search of a better life, only to discover that changing locations does not necessarily fix their problems. They flee reality instead of trying to change it, wait for someone else to find solutions, and look outward for answers that ultimately depend on their own choices.
More than a century later, THE CHEKHOV MACHINE shows us how little human dilemmas have actually changed. We can blame the Author, fate, society, or the place where we were born. But sooner or later, we are left face to face with our own responsibility for the life we live.
Directed by: Petru Vutcărău
Set and Costume Design: Stela Verebceanu
Composer: Jacques Coutureau
Translated from French by: Anastasia Starostina
Performance language: Russian
Running time: 3 hours 15 minutes (with intermission)
Age recommendation: 18+ (contains scenes with potential emotional impact)
Ticket reservations: +373 22 22 33 62
https://cehov.md/en/performances/the-chekhov-machine/
