Enemies
by Anton Chekhov
Cast and Crew
Page to Stage: Theatrical
Readings
Directed by Rena Polley
Cast Stewart Arnott, Brenda Robins, David Storch
Considered one of Chekhov’s most poignant stories, Enemies portrays two very different characters in their moments of grief.
In the quiet hours of the evening, tragedy befalls the town doctor Kirilov. As he grapples with his pain, a stranger appears at his doorstep urgently pleading him to help save his dying wife.
Chekhov explores themes of loss, grief and grievances in Enemies. He crafts a nuanced portrait of the human experience while skillfully injecting humour in the most unexpected places.
Audience Comments
“The three performers were fabulous and I loved the easy way that the piece flowed from a reading to a performance seamlessly.”
“Beautiful show! I love these Chekhov gems
“How challenging it must be directing Chekhov without the usual costumes/scenery – but you made it work so well! It was easy to visualize but the format meant your audience could really focus on the words/theme (hurray for actors with such clear enunciation).
“It was magical. That room was completely transformed. I was so taken away.”
“Saw the reading last night and loved it. Being a huge fan of Chekhov and having read the story, I was wondering how you would present it in 'page and stage' format. Inserting props and staging moves, with the interplay of narrator and principals to 'flesh out' the words on the page was bold and engaging.”
“I really like the page to stage format. I feel more connected to the actors, and even with simple stage actions, the images were vivid and complete.”
“Beautifully acted and intelligently directed. It transported me back to Friday afternoons in Mrs. Hinton's grade 7 class, when she would read to us with our heads down on our desks.”
“We loved the reading last night. Just fabulous. So creative and well presented. I’ve truly loved all of them. I thought about your very creative direction and how you add a distinct artistic style to your works. Your introductions are super smart.”
"I enjoyed the performances very much. My only wish is that the Chekhov Collective could present more of these perfect gems in the very style and enthusiasm as I have seen this and your prior wonderful productions. I will attend all your performances, to be sure."