Review

Reviewed Work(s): CHEKHOV FOR THE 21st CENTURY by Carol Apollonio and Angela
Brintlinger
Review by: JAMES M. BRANDON
Source: Theatre Journal , OCTOBER 2014, Vol. 66, No. 3, SPECTATORSHIP (OCTOBER
2014), pp. 492-494
Published by: The Johns Hopkins University Press

Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/24580376

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492 / Theatre Journal

Sica's search led to a series of questions about Most of the books in her library are written in
events and motives in Cambridge. There, with the Italian or French, the two languages in which she
help of Wilson, who specializes in rare books and was fluent, but a number of the books are also
manuscripts, Sica carried out a major investigation in English or German. Throughout her life, Duse
and reclamation project. Why was Duse's identity was a voracious reader. Besides the many plays in
concealed? The mystery—a tale worthy of a P. D. which she performed, she collected an impressive
James novel or a microhistory by Carlo Ginzburg— library of European works by Homer, Herodotus,
proves to be a fascinating case of family intrigues, Plato, Aristotle, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides,
acts of concealment and subterfuge, the destruction Horace, Virgil, Plutarch, Dante, Villon, Rabelais,
of vital documents, misguided religious sensibilities, Machiavelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo,
and even spying for the British Intelligence Service Cellini, Tasso, Montaigne, Shakespeare, Galileo,
by Bullough and Enrichetta. "The mystery of the Saint-Évremond, Vico, Voltaire, Manzoni, Michelet,
disappearing library" was also related to Bullough's Keats, Stendhal, Chateaubriand, Comte, Sand,
questionable role in the establishment of a chair in Hugo, Vigny, Baudelaire, and Nietzsche. This list
Italian literature at Cambridge University in 1919. could easily be expanded.
The arrival of Duse's books apparently provided the
Sica (now De Domenico Sica) is to be congratu
opportunity for Bullough to transform himself into
the Serena Professor of Italian and to claim Duse's lated for her determination to find and identify
books as his own. Duse's books; her detective work is most impres
sive. Wilson and Murray Edwards College are also
In the first section of The Murray Edwards Duseto be commended for their major contributions. This
Collection, Sica presents the complicated historybook, which benefited from the support of the col
of the Duse library, from the period during Worldlege's administrators and a major research grant,
War I when Duse began to pack up the books tois a celebration of scholarly enterprise, discipline,
their recovery almost a century later. She also anaand cooperation. No doubt this recovery of Duse's
lyzes how the books reveal vital information aboutlibrary will inform—and in some cases redirect—the
Duse's life and acting methods. Complementing future studies of Duse's life and art. To understand

her history, Sica provides an annotated catalog ofand appreciate her art, we need to comprehend her
137 pages that identifies the author, title, and pubintellectual development.
lishing data, as well as the distinctive qualities for
THOMAS POSTLEWAIT
each of the books—more than 1,600 books in total.
University of Washington
She also discloses which books have annotations by
Duse. In addition, Sica presents, in the appendices,
a catalog of the much smaller holdings of Duse's
books that are now located at the Asolo Municipal CHEKHOV FOR THE 21st CENTURY. Edited
Museum and the Giorgio Cini Duse Collection in by Carol Apollonio and Angela Brintlinger.
Italy. Concluding the book, Wilson presents a brief Bloomington, IN: Slavica Publishers, 2012;
history of what happened to the Duse books when pp. 384.
they were first cataloged as part of the Bullough
Bequest, and then were identified and re-cataloged
as a special Duse collection. The works of Anton Chekhov are still vital and
alive over 150 years after his birth, and their impact
The recovery of Duse's library allows us to put tois still felt strongly both in his native Russia and the
rest the popular belief that she was just a "natural"English-speaking world. This superb collection fea
actor whose talent was enhanced by her emotionaltures essays written by twenty-one Chekhov schol
sensibility. Even Bernard Shaw, one of the most asars, many of them participants in a 2010 meeting of
tute observers of her performances, was preparedthe North American Chekhov Society. The authors
to credit her genius to "the fortunate sternness ofare both Russian and Western scholars, and their
Nature," as he wrote in 1895. Her library suggests,essays approach Chekhov's life and works from
however, that Duse's natural talent was informed by the five perspectives that encompass the major
her intelligence and extensive readings that continsections of the book: "Space," "Time," "Person,"
ued throughout her career. Because of Duse's love"Word," and "Transpositions." With enough new
affairs with Arrigo Boito and Gabriele D'Artnunzio,and accessible material to interest both casual Rus
we know about her participation in the Italian artissophiles and theatre scholars, Chekhov for the 21st
tic communities. But as the recovery of her libraryCentury provides a new and engaging explication of
illustrates, she was immersed intellectually in notChekhov's central position in contemporary literary
only the modernist movements that occurred withinand theatrical discourse, a position that has become
and beyond Italy but also the great European canonstronger even as the field has moved further away
of literature and philosophy. from the author's own era.

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 BOOK REVIEWS / 493

The contents of Chekhov for the 21st Century are contains three essays examining the ways that Chek
varied, and editors Carol Apollonio and Angela hov manipulates language in his writing, balancing
Brintlinger have succeeded in placing the various between the poetic and the dramatic.
perspectives into context with their introductions.
The last section of Chekhov for the 21st Century is
The editors argue that Chekhov's very accessibility
most likely to be of interest to theatre scholars and
has opened up his works to readers and players in
practitioners. Ronald Meyer's "The Cherry Orchard
a variety of contexts undreamt of by the author,
and this collection celebrates both the breadth of in the 21st Century" opens "Part V: Transpositions"
with an overview of Chekhov in translation through
Chekhov's influence, and the depths of his literary
out the twentieth century, before focusing on six
output (2). The essays here read like Chekhov's own
major translations of The Cherry Orchard published
work—simple on their face, but deeply nuanced
since 2004. His essay is the strongest in a book full
and meaningful in their assessment of the author's
of well-written and engaging work, as he has a tre
works and influence. They are both articulate and
communicative, and together they provide a deeply mendously precise grasp on the particularities of
informed perspective on Chekhov, particularly for multiple translations. Here, Meyer "considers the
"new generations of readers" who may be studying multiple ways of reading and translating a play"
him in depth or the first time (ibid.). "Part I: Space" (248), and shows how choices that are linguisti
features three essays examining Chekhov's uses of cally accurate are not always the best for the stage.
space in his literature. Vladimir Katai's "Circuses His observations are informed not only by his own
and Cemeteries" demonstrates how Chekhov's uses literal translation of the play, but also by insights
from other famous translations.
of these highly charged spaces in The Cherry Or
chard are embodied by the former circus performer Other articles to note in part 5 are "Three Sisters
Sharlotta performing in the cemetery during act 2. as a Case Study" by Cynthia Marsh, Margarita
Katai's essay provides a fresh look at the oft-noted Odesskaya's "Uncle Vanya: Life in Time," and Nina
mix of the serious and comic throughout Chekhov, Couch's "Chekhov in the Jerome Lawrence and
particularly in the juxtaposition of these two titular Robert E. Lee Theatre Research Institute." Marsh's
spaces in his other works.
essay on translation is a nice companion to Meyer's
In an attempt to communicate both the "individ work, and Odesskaya shows the different ways in
ual and universal significance" of Chekhov's works, which Uncle Vanya has been approached over the
the editors lead us along a number of paths, all of years, particularly in Soviet-era productions of the
which begin with the texts themselves (ibid.)- Two play. Couch's essay details the various Chekhov
of the essays in "Part II: Time" deal directly with related items available in the institute's collections,
Chekhov's drama: "Being as Event" by Svetlana and just over half of the thirty-one images in the
book are from this article.
Evdokimova, and Anatoly Sobennikov's "Classical
Ideas of Fate." Evdokimova examines the existen
Sarah Walters Freyer's "Remixing Chekhov" is
tialist nature of The Three Sisters by interpreting the
the fascinating (and quintessentially Chekhovian)
play in the light of Martin Heidegger's concept of
essay that ends this collection, and in it the author
dasein, or "being." She finds that Chekhov's play be
deals with the recent past and autobiography in a
comes a kind of "practical philosophy" (78), primar
unique manner. Freyer appeared in Philip Lopate's
ily through his use of time, philosophical inquiry,
1979 production of Uncle Vanya when she was an
and experience. Sobennikov argues that Chekhov's
elementary school student in New York City, along
characters experience fate in a manner akin to the
with a company of other fifth and sixth graders.
dramatic characters from ancient Greece—that is,
More than thirty years later, Freyer created a docu
they accept their fate at the end of the play (87).
mentary, Chekhov for Children, where she followed
"Part III: Person" leads off with Michael Finke's up with the various students involved in that pro
"From Poetics to Metapoetics in Chekhov's 'Theduction to examine their lives, as well as how the
Kiss.'" He examines Chekhov's 1887 story "Theexperience with Chekhov influenced them. (Chekhov
Kiss" as a vital turning point in Chekhov's developfor Children was screened at the conference, and clips
ing use of narrative structure. In Galina Rylkova'sof the documentary have been posted by Freyer
"Reading Chekhov Through Meyerhold's Eyes," on YouTube.) The entire project, with its empha
the author argues that the trajectory of Meyerhold'ssis on memory, nostalgia, and time is reminiscent
creative life was shaped by his acting of the roleof Chekhov's finest dramas, and is a memorable
of Treplev in the original MAT production of Theway to close this collection. The twenty-one essays
Seagull (149). Rylkova's narrative is a mix of biog in Chekhov for the 21st Century are both interesting
raphy, history, and interpretation that demonstratesto read and filled with insights about this Russian
how Meyerhold's artistic journey mirrors Treplev'smaster, and they make a strong case for both the
quest for new forms in his writing. "Part IV: Word"universal and particular significance of his life and

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494 / Theatre Journal

work in this century. What really makes this essay deictic language: for instance, a remark like "yon
collection worth reading is the obvious expertise, pine does stand" (4.13.1) from Antony and Cleopa
enthusiasm, and nuanced depth that the authors tra (ca.1606-07) may reference either a stage prop
bring to bear on Chekhov's essential life and works, or the theatre's built-in wooden columns (or both).
introducing this foundational figure to generations For theatre entrepreneurs like the Burbages the re
of new students and reminding theatre scholars why sponse was pragmatic: the first Globe, the author
they admired his works in the first place. reminds us, was a product of "recycling": built from
the Theatre's wooden remains transported across the
JAMES M. BRANDON
Thames to Bankside during 1598-99. Overall, we are
Hillsdale College
implored to "see ... the English woods inhering in
the superstructure of the wooden O" (136). A play
was not just imagined to be in the woods, but was
WOODEN Os: SHAKESPEARE'S THEATRES within them already.
AND ENGLAND'S TREES. By Vin Nardizzi.
Each of the four chapters addresses particular
Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2013;
"eco-solutions and fantasies" (12), as well as "never
pp. 224.
green nightmare[s]" (87) in response to England's
wood woes. Chapter 1 puts the "vanishing" on
Just how modern is the phenomenon of "green ar stage tree of Robert Greene's play Friar Bacon and
chitecture?" Although it has recently become a catch Friar Bungay (late 1580s) into conversation with
phrase for buildings assembled from recycle/d/able sixteenth-century geopolitical and theatrical pres
materials, structures were once primarily composed sures: its magical departure symbolizes the salvation
of "green" stuff—wood. Take the early modern Eng of wooden Os from the abuses of anti-theatricalists
lish playhouses, a series of commercial theatres in who wished to tear down the theatres; protection
the round—so-called wooden Os—that dotted the of England's trees from the conquest of the Spanish
Armada that wished to invade England's forests;
outskirts of London's city limits, from the opening
of the Theatre in 1576 to the closure (and eventual
and fantasies of colonialist extraction in Virginia's
demolition) of all theatres circa 1642. And yet, New as World woods. Chapter 2 reads the "felling"
Vin Nardizzi pronounces, these wooden rings have (and burning) of wood / man Falstaff in The Merry
somehow escaped environmental analysis. Wooden Wives of Windsor (1597-98) as a middle-class act of
Os adds to the long-engrained critical history of environmental protest against the aristocracy (rep
early modern drama by magnifying the physical resented by Windsor Forest or the knight's rotund
substance that most studies overlook: the woody body). Situating this class struggle onstage along
matter of the stage itself. side John Manwood's Treatise (1598) on better man
agement of monarchical forests, civic pressures to
Investigating "the cultural pervasiveness of the
shut down the theatres, and the company's move
material link between theatres and woodlands" (24),
ment to Bankside, we glimpse a search for a more
Nardizzi deftly employs an ecocritical methodology
rooted "playhousehold" (77) within conflicts of
that examines (and frequently challenges) implied
the commons. Chapter 3 investigates the critically
divisions between nature (trees) and culture (wood
neglected composite version of Thomas Kyd's The
products). Wood works upon culture; what work
Spanish Tragedy (ca.1600), claiming that the tree on
would wood do? Using Jonathan Gil Harris's term
which Horatio's murdered body hangs, and that is
of untimely matter (4) to trace wood's "eco-material
subsequently destroyed by Isabella, demonstrates
effects" (22), Nardizzi's answer is the book's central
the process by which environmental devastation
argument: far from exhibiting a "green" abundance
could be transformed into commercial gain: the
of forests that we might expect, the art of Shake
hewn trees necessary for the Fortune Theatre's con
speare and his contemporaries responded to the
struction (that made fortunes by restaging the play);
real wood shortages facing England in the late six
the Privy Council's (unexecuted) charge in 1600 to
teenth and early seventeenth centuries. Wooden Os
dismantle older theatres to make room for the new
traces an "eco-material history of English theatre"
theatre; the fate of the Rose (the play's older home,
(30) that reacted to this scarcity.
disassembled in 1606). Chapter 4 takes up Caliban's
For playwrights, the response to ecological cri discarded logs in The Tempest (1611), regarding them
sis worked synecdochally; wooden props on the as the "vital matter" (112) to the play's eco-fantasies
stage (like stage trees) and the wood of the stageof colonialist extraction. The logs point up the pro
(such as ceiling supports) stand in for the once-liv
motional literature associated with Virginia's settle
ing trees that fell in order to erect wooden theatre
ment while, contrary to the anti-theatrical tone of
spaces. Plays highlight this crisis of deforestation,
these same reports, sponsoring a type of colonial
Nardizzi smartly shows, through their gestic and theatre that asserts power over non / human beings.

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