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    Ivanov
    Ivanov
    Ivanov
    Ebook121 pages1 hour

    Ivanov

    By Anton Chekhov, Richard Nelson, Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    Nikolai Ivanov, approaching middle-age, has lost all passion for life. No longer in love with his wife, riddled with debt, and in danger of losing his estate, Ivanov finds himself trapped in a stasis he cannot shake—dragging all of those in his orbit down with him. While his family and friends rally around him trying to help, Ivanov only seems to sink further into the darkness that threatens to consume him. A new translation of Chekhov’s character study of a man undone by his own spiritual malaise.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTheatre Communications Group
    Release dateNov 1, 2022
    ISBN9781559369473
    Author

    Anton Chekhov

    Anton Chekhov was born in 1860 in Southern Russia and moved to Moscow to study medicine. Whilst at university he sold short stories and sketches to magazines to raise money to support his family. His success and acclaim grew as both a writer of fiction and of plays whilst he continued to practice medicine. Ill health forced him to move from his country estate near Moscow to Yalta where he wrote some of his most famous work, and it was there that he married actress Olga Knipper. He died from tuberculosis in 1904.

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    Reviews for Ivanov

    3.5/5

    41 ratings3 reviews

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    • 4/5
      National Theatre (Young Chekhov Season) : Astoundingly good, I wasn't familiar with the play before viewing but it has that perfect mix of tragedy and comedy that the best Chekhov has - assuming it's not just the adaptation, it's interesting reading the reviews here of readers who don't see any comedy in the play. Saying that though, was mulling over lots on the way out and throughout, definitely aiming to see the other 2 plays as part of the season.
    • 3/5
      A convoluted morality play in which the main character spends all of his time either complaining how sad he is or arguing about how bad of a person he either is or isn't. There is some excellent writing in here, of course, but I didn't find the play overly compelling or even convincingly philosophical, just a bunch of people alternately gossiping and complaining, so much so that it was a relief when Chekhov's Gun finally came full circle. I'm sure others will argue the play's superiority, and it's possible they are right, but it just didn't appeal to me.
    • 3/5
      It can be easy to get frustrated with the characters in this play, but it's interesting to sit down and analyze them.

    Book preview

    Ivanov - Anton Chekhov

    IVANOV

    CHARACTERS

    IVÁNOV, NIKOLÁI ALEXÉEVICH (Nicolás, Kólya, Nikolásha, Alexéich), permanent member of the Department of Peasant Affairs

    ÁNNA PETRÓVNA (Anyúta, Ánya), his wife, born Sarah Abramson

    SHABÉLSKY, MATVÉI SEMYÓNOVICH (Matyúshka, Matyúsha), count, his uncle on his mother’s side

    LÉBEDEV, PÁVEL KIRÍLLYCH (Pásha, Páshenka), chairman of the district council

    ZINAÍDA SÁVISHNA (Zyuzyúshka), his wife

    SÁSHA (Shúra, Shúrochka, Sánechka, Sáshenka, Alexandra Pavlovna), the Lebedevs’ daughter, twenty years old

    LVÓV, EVGÉNY KONSTANTÍNOVICH, a young district council doctor

    BABÁKINA, MÁRFA EGÓROVNA (Marfúsha, Marfútka), a young widow, a landowner, daughter of a rich merchant

    KOSYKH, DMÍTRI NIKÍTICH, excise officer

    BÓRKIN, MIKHAÍL MIKHAÍLOVICH (Mísha, Michél Michélich, Mikháilych), distant relation of Ivanov and manager of his estate

    AVDÓTYA NAZÁROVNA, an old woman of no known occupation

    EGÓRUSHKA, a sponger on the Lebedevs

    FIRST GUEST

    SECOND GUEST

    THIRD GUEST

    FOURTH GUEST

    PYÓTR, Ivanov’s servant

    GAVRÍLA (Gavryúsha), the Lebedevs’ servant

    GUESTS OF BOTH SEXES

    SERVANTS

    The action takes place in one of the districts of Central Russia.

    ACT ONE

    The garden on Ivanov’s estate. To the left, the facade of the house with a terrace. One window is open. In front of the terrace a wide semicircular yard from which paths center and right lead to the garden. To the right, garden settees and little tables. On one of the latter a lamp is burning. Nightfall. As the curtain rises, a piano and a cello are heard practicing a duet in the house.

    Ivanov is sitting at a table reading a book. Borkin, in high boots and carrying a gun, appears upstage from the garden. He is a little drunk; seeing Ivanov, he tiptoes toward him and, coming up to him, aims the gun at his face.

    IVANOV

    (Seeing Borkin, is startled and jumps up) Misha, what in God’s name … you frightened me … I’m upset as it is, and here you come with your stupid jokes … (Sits down) He frightened me, and he’s glad …

    BORKIN

    (Guffawing) Okay, okay … sorry, sorry. (Sits down next to Ivanov) I won’t do it again, I won’t … (Takes off his cap) It’s hot. Would you believe it, my dear, I covered more than ten miles in just three hours … I’m exhausted … Here, feel my heart pounding …

    IVANOV

    (Reading) All right, later …

    BORKIN

    No, feel it now … (Takes Ivanov’s hand and puts it on his chest) Hear it? Tock-tock-tock-tock-tock. It means I’ve got a heart defect. I could die a sudden death any minute. Listen, would you be sorry if I died?

    IVANOV

    I’m reading … later …

    BORKIN

    No, seriously, would you be sorry if I up and died? Nikolai Alexeevich, would you be sorry if I died?

    IVANOV

    Quit bothering me!

    BORKIN

    Tell me, sweetheart: would you be sorry?

    IVANOV

    I’m sorry you smell of vodka. It’s disgusting, Misha.

    BORKIN

    (Laughs) Smell, do I? How amazing … Though it’s not amazing at all. I ran into the prosecutor in Plesniki, and, I admit, we knocked back some eight glasses each. As a matter of fact, drinking is very harmful. Listen, it is harmful? Eh? Harmful?

    IVANOV

    This is really unbearable … Understand, Misha, this is torture …

    BORKIN

    Okay, okay … sorry, sorry! … By God, go on sitting … (Gets up and leaves) Amazing people, you can’t even talk to them. (Comes back) Ah, yes! I almost forgot … Eighty-two rubles please! …

    IVANOV

    What eighty-two rubles?

    BORKIN

    To pay the workmen tomorrow.

    IVANOV

    I haven’t got it.

    BORKIN

    I humbly thank you! (Mimicking) I haven’t got it … But I have to pay the workmen, don’t I?

    IVANOV

    I don’t know. I haven’t got anything today. Wait till the first, when I receive my salary.

    BORKIN

    Just try talking to that sort! … The workmen will come for their money tomorrow morning, not on the first! …

    IVANOV

    So what am I supposed to do now? Go ahead, cut me up, saw away … And what’s this disgusting habit you’ve got of bothering me just when I’m reading, or writing, or …

    BORKIN

    I’m asking you: have the workmen got to be paid or not? Ah, there’s no point talking to you! … (Waves his hand) And you a gentleman farmer, goddammit, a landowner … Rational agriculture … Three thousand acres of land and not a cent in his pocket … There’s a wine cellar, but no corkscrew … I’ll just go and sell your troika tomorrow! Yes, sir! … I sold the oats unharvested, and tomorrow I’ll just go and sell the rye. (Paces the stage) You expect me to stand on ceremony? Eh? No, sir, you’ve hit on the wrong man …

    The voice of Shabelsky inside by the window: It’s simply impossible to play with you … You’ve got no more ear than a gefilte fish and your touché is atrocious.

    ANNA PETROVNA

    (Appears in the open window) Who was talking here just now? Was it you, Misha? Why are you pacing like

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