“In the end, the quality of this production rests in Scott’s hands and he delivers an acting masterclass. While playing so many characters might have been a challenge for the audience, it’s one Scott relishes. He could have easily played a few more.“
Con Nats
4 Red Tea Towels
Andrew Scott, the hot priest from Fleabag and star of All Of Us Strangers, takes on the challenge of doing a Chekov as a one man show, in this latest production from NTL Live.
Simon Stephen’s adaptation is faithful to the intentions of the original and has ‘more’ comedy, (although many forget that Chekhov is actually quite comic). The script is shorter than the original at just over 110 minutes (no interval). The set is a sparse and grotty farmhouse with a swing reflecting an old decaying England.
By playing nine characters, Scott has set himself a task and a limitation. It pays to reacquaint yourself with the original story. Names are changed and each character has a prop to identify themselves. Ivan (Vanya) wears sunnies, Michael the Doctor bounces a ball, Sonja carries a red tea towel and Helen (Yulena), likes to play with her pearls.
Some characters are limited by the shorter and tighter script, but interestingly, the scenes between the two women were the most poignant and Sonja’s monologues were tender. This seems to be the script’s intention with Vanya a supporting character. By the time of his final outburst, it jars a little as we didn’t see enough of him. Scott really knows how to turn on/off the tears but by the end his emotions stuck. This is committed acting and there are some sterling moments.
Director Sam Yates makes some clever framing choices which add to the emotion and impact. Sometimes these filmed productions can be more intimate than the stage show.
In the end, the quality of this production rests in Scott’s hands and he delivers an acting masterclass. While playing so many characters might have been a challenge for the audience, it’s one Scott relishes. He could have easily played a few more.
Con Nats, On The Screen
