Review: Chekhov Double Bill – The Proposal and The Bear

The two one-act farces chosen for this double billing at the Corpus Playroom complement each other to perfection: in The Proposal we see the very beginnings of a soon-to-be marriage, and in The Bear we are presented with the flipside, with a widow who refuses to leave her house. Clocking in at under half an hour each, these farces are rife with interpersonal conflict, and the rapid pace, constant twists and turns, and never-ending battle of wits between the characters will certainly keep the audience on their toes every night this week.

These aforementioned conflicts underpinning The Proposal and the Bear revolve around the meaning of love and the irony of materialism, and indeed, what better way to portray materialism than through the framing of marriage? It is a financial institution, after all, and it sets the stage for a timeless commentary here. Director Dylan Evans was undoubtedly right when he described the plays as every bit as applicable now as they were when they were first performed in the 1800s, and this is reinforced by his intriguing creative choices. It might sound a little bizarre to hear Whitney Houston play across the speakers and to hear talk of online banking over the course of a Chekhov play of all things, but entertaining modern touches such as these really make this performance something special. 

Sophie Carlin and Christian Longstaff in rehearsal. Image Credit: Daphne Adam

Both The Proposal and The Bear are very much dialogue-oriented. The unvarnished, minimalist set and three-person cast – each actor filling two roles each over the course of the evening – worked wonderfully, letting the spotlight shine on the intelligent discourse and interplay between the characters, and on each of the actor’s fantastic performances. Sophie Carlin represented the ironic lack of self-awareness of her two characters with ease, Tom Shortland’s Lomov and Luka were both every bit as believable as they were hilarious, and Christian Longstaff as Chubukov and Smirnov was masterful throughout. Indeed, his Smirnov in The Bear was nothing short of excellent.

You can tell the work each actor has put into their characters from the outset: there’s a real spark of individuality to each portrayal which allows the irony and absurdity which form the heart of these two plays to come to the forefront.

Tom Shortland who plays Lomov & Luka. Image Credit: Daphne Adam

A caveat in my eyes is that this double-bill is fairly short – clocking in at about 50 minutes – and given the quality of the performance this perhaps leaves the audience wanting ever so slightly more (is a Chekhov triple-bill on the table next time?). However, that’s not truly a fault, and instead means that it’s the perfect show to stop by at if you’re short on time in Weeks 5 and 6 – you wouldn’t want to miss it.

4/5

The Proposal and The Bear runs from Tuesday 9th November until Saturday 13th November at 9.30pm at the Corpus Playroom. Tickets are available here.