The Seagull Uncle Vanya Three Sisters the Cherry

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NOTES: This play is an adaptation of Chekhov's four major plays. It is designed to highlight the harmonies between the texts, their musical four-act structure, and Chekov's evolution over his writing career. All four scripts are performed at once; moments and lines that are horizontally aligned are very roughly simultaneous. All text is taken from public domain translations of the plays. The actor playing the DOCTOR is the same across all four plays. Same true for SERVANT. Other actors may or may not double, depending on the director's wishes.

[Lights up. The DOCTOR, a handsome man, is alone onstage. He addresses the audience.] DOCTOR: How long have we known each other? Have I changed much since then? [A bell rings.] FIRST MOVEMENT: ARRIVING THE SEAGULL UNCLE VANYA THREE SISTERS THE CHERRY ORCHARD [outside, in front of a [in the yard of a [the sisters are in the [in the nursery] theater] country estate.] dining room] TREPLEV: The play [VANYA enters, will soon begin. yawning] [He sets up the OLGA: It's just a year [LUBOV enters with curtain,takes a flower since father died. her entourage.] and pulls off petals one LUBOV: The nursery! by one.] [NINA enters. [DOCTOR sits down ANYA: [to SERVANT] Awkward moment to read newspaper and Some coffee, quickly. when TREPLEV tries SERVANT: Light the ignore everyone.] to kiss NINA.] samovar! TREPLEV: Places! [DOCTOR exits to get samovar.] [The audience of DOCTOR: [enters [VARYA and ANYA sit characters comes to with samovar]Will together, have a [Military men come in watch TREPLEV's they be here long? hushed conversations. and introduce play.] VANYA: A hundred LOPAKHIN subtly themselves. Jovial . years! gooses VARYA .] Silent.] [YELENA passes and VARYA: The place catches the attention of will be sold in August. the men. DOCTOR exits.]

1 [DOCTOR is the last [Violin music LOPAKHIN: Time one over to sit in the offstage.] does go. As you know, audience for your cherry orchard is TREPLEV's play.] to be sold to pay your debts. LUBOV: Cut the orchard down!? DOCTOR: There has [Party preparations been a great deal that continue. Gifts are was admirable in my brought to IRINA: a relations with women. top, a book, a cake. In me they liked, SOLENI sulks in the above all, a superior corner.] doctor. [NINA does her awful SERVANT: Chick VERSHININ: In two [LOPAKHIN continues interpretive dance chick chick. or three hundred years, to attempt to get performance.] [SONIA looks at the life on this earth will LUBOV's attention.] SERVANT in disgust. be unimaginably Why is she calling the beautiful and full of chickens?] wonder. ARKADINA: What [This play's characters [KULYGIN gently [PETER TROFIMOV decadent rubbish is all sit with coffee. takes MASHA's hand enters] this? DOCTOR rushes over to go. She pulls away. TREPLEV: Enough! as soon as TREPLEV He exits. The party's Down with the curtain. exits.] over.] [He rushes out.]

ARKADINA: Ten [YELENA and SONIA [All exit except IRINA [LUBOV hugs years ago we had surround the doctor and BARON, who lock TROFIMOV and cries. music on this lake and look at him raptly. eyes. ] They all exit except a every night. And the VANYA claps nervous VARYA] doctor. He's sarcastically for the fascinating now, but he DOCTOR.] was irresistible then.

[NINA enters, SONIA: When are you [NATASHA enters in a [ANYA enters, sleepy. disheveled, and is coming back to see us silly green dress. All VARYA sits her in the applauded, but she again? laugh at her except rocking chair and runs off anxiously. All DOCTOR: I can't say. ANDRE, and exit.] rocks her to sleep.] exit.] [Exits.]

2 DOCTOR [Alone, [All exit except [ANDRE comforts [Shepherds pipes play observing all the YELENA and VANYA. NATASHA, then gets in the distance. romantic action going He tries to kiss her. down on one knee and TROFIMOV peers at on.]: I must say I She pulls away.] proposes. They kiss ANYA from afar.] rather liked that play. passionately.] [MASHA enters. [Slow exits.] [Slow exits.] [Slow exits.] DOCTOR takes her snuff box and chucks it.] MASHA: I do not love my father, but my heart turns to you. I love Treplev! DOCTOR: How excitable you all are. But what can I do for you, my child?

[A bell rings. Everyone except the DOCTOR and the SERVANT exits. The DOCTOR takes out a flask and drinks.] DOCTOR: [To the SERVANT.] How long have we known each other? Have I changed much since then? SERVANT: You were handsome and young then. Not anymore.. [SERVANT grabs the DOCTOR. As other performers enter, the SERVANT maneuvers the DOCTOR into his correct position for Movement 2. A bell rings.]

SECOND MOVEMENT: SLIPPING [By the lake.] [Inside, late at night] [Same as before. 8 [A run-down shrine pm.] outside.] [Arkadina and a few [The PROFESSOR sits SERVANT [To Andre]: [EPIKHODOV plays other characters come bundled in a rocking The Chairman sends a guitar. Enter to set up a picnic. chair and coughs. book and some LOPAKHIN pursuing DOCTOR sits in. YELENA attempts to documents. Here. LUBOV.] ARKADINA pats NINA comfort him but is [Drops them in front of on the head.] rebuffed crankily.] him.]

3 SERVANT: Madam, I [SONYA enters to help [ANDRE reads by LOPAKHIN: You must cannot let you have YELENA. Then VANYA candlelight. NATASHA make up your mind. any horses today. enters with a candle. enters. He waves to Will you sell the land ARKADINA: But Lightning flashes.] her, but she exits or not? what if I must go to without acknowledging LUBOV: You ought to town? him and sings a get married. lullaby offstage.] [They bicker while PROFESSOR: No! [ENTER Trofimov. exiting. TRIGORIN Don't leave me alone LOPAKHIN snickers at passes, hands flowers with him. [Exits with TROFIMOV's shabby to DOCTOR.] SONIA.] [DOCTOR hands clothes.] bouquet to IRINA.] [DOCTOR exits. One [VANYA, drunk, tries DOCTOR: I can't live flower drops.] to pull YELENA into without you. [Exits.] [The DOCTOR pulls an embrace. She pulls EPIKHODOV over to away. She exits. Vanya the Uncle Vanya alone.] section.] [Nina silently plays [DOCTOR and MASHA: I'm already with the flower. He TELEGIN enter.] tired of winter. I've loves me, he loves me DOCTOR: Play! already forgotten what not.] TELEGIN: But---! summer's like. DOCTOR: Play! IRINA: We're going to [TELEGIN plays.] Moscow. [TREPLEV sneakily [They get [The BARON enters [All are shocked by the throws a dead seagull progressively rowdier.] drunk. Mirth and sudden noises from at NINA's feet. She SONIA: [entering] dancing.] elsewhere.] shrieks.] NINA: What Shhhhh! LUBOV: What's that? is happening to you? [VANYA and TELEGIN leave.] [TREPLEV SONIA: I beg you not [NATASHA and the approaches NINA, but to drink anymore. SERVANT enter, she sees TRIGORIN in DOCTOR: I won't NATASHA holding a the distance. drink anymore. baby.] [All exit except TREPLEV relents and BOTH: Shhhhhhh! TROFIMOV and leaves.] ANYA.]

4 [TRIGORIN and NINA SONIA: What is it? [All exit except [TROFIMOV and have an intimate DOCTOR: During ANDRE, who ANYA have an intimate conversation. He Lent I had a patient die continues to attempt to conversation. At the writes something in his under chloroform. work by candlelight. end, they kiss.] notebook and leaves.] SONIA: If I had a Enter NATASHA with friend or a younger a fur stole on. She sister, and if you knew pecks him on the cheek that she, well—loved and then leaves. A you, what would you concertina plays.] do? DOCTOR: I don’t know. I don’t think I should do anything. [exits.]

NINA: It is a dream. [YELENA enters, IRINA: To Moscow! TROFIMOV: Let's go. embraces SONIA] To Moscow!

[A bell rings. All exit except for the DOCTOR, who has been watching from the side of the stage, still drinking from a flask. Enter the SERVANT, who takes away the DOCTOR’s flask and gives him some coffee.] DOCTOR [to servant]: How long have we known each other? SERVANT: Lord, help me to remember. DOCTOR: Have I changed much since then? [A bell rings…it keeps ringing faster and faster until it is a fire alarm bell. The DOCTOR and SERVANT spend most of this third scene on the margins, organizing the other characters in this chaotic scene.]

THIRD MOVEMENT: FALLING [The dining room. [The living room. [OLGA and IRINA's [A reception room cut Luggage everywhere.] Everyone is waiting.] bedroom. Fire alarms off from a drawing in the distance.] room by an arch.]

5 [NINA holds out her OLGA: The poor [A klezmer band plays closed hands to Vershinin's house was offstage.] VARYA: TRIGORIN. He taps nearly burnt. The We've hired a band, one. She opens the doctor is drunk, as if but how are we to pay other hand and gives on purpose, so nobody them? him the medallion VANYA: We were can go to him. inside. They politely asked by the Professor shake hands, and then to be here at one she exits.] o'clock. It is now a quarter to one. TRIGORIN [Reading SONIA: I am ugly. [NATASHA is LUBOV: I don’t the medallion, YELENA: You have attempting to tidy up. understand what he’s mumbling.] Page 121, lovely hair…allow me MASHA grabs a pillow doing so long in town. lines 11 and 12. [Exits. to speak to him. and rushes out The estate must be ARKADINA enters to [All exit except angrily.] sold, or not. deal with luggage.] YELENA.]

[Enter TREPLEV with [DOCTOR enters with KULYGIN: [Entering] [TROFIMOV passes a bandage around his two large maps, one Where's Masha? The through.] LUBOV: head.] labeled "today" and fire seems to be dying You're twenty-seven ARKADINA: The one labeled "50 years down. [Lies down.] and still a schoolboy! doctor is late? ago." Shows them to You ought to be a man. [TREPLEV nods. She YELENA] You’re not above love. works on changing his YELENA: My step- You’re just a bungler. bandage.] daughter, Sonia. Do you like her as a woman? TREPLEV: Mother, I [Suddenly, DOCTOR OLGA: In this room [SERVANT enters.] love you again these kisses YELENA. we can't see the fire. SERVANT: Epikhodov last few days as VANYA enters with has broken a billiard trustingly as when I roses. YELENA sees cue. was a child. Why do and breaks away. you let yourself be VANYA drops the roses controlled by that and exits.] man?

6 ARKADINA: You DOCTOR: Devil take NATASHA: A [VARYA chases enjoy saying you all… [exits] committee to assist the EPIKHODOV through unpleasant things to sufferers of the fire with the broken cue. me. You envy him, you must be formed. She accidentally hits idle good for nothing. LOPAKHIN as he enters.]

TREPLEV: Miser! [The meeting is getting [crying] together.] ARKADINA: Rag- PROFESSOR: Where bag! [crying] are the others? I hate [They embrace.] this house. It is a LOPAKHIN: The regular labyrinth. I cherry orchard is sold. propose to sell the DOCTOR: LUBOV: Who bought estate. If we then [entering]…You think it? invest our capital in I'm a doctor and can LOPAKHIN: I bought bonds- cure everything. And I it. VANYA: You want to know absolutely [The band abruptly sell the place? nothing. stops.]

[DOCTOR knocks [Pause to look at the [Pause to look at the over a clock. It [Pause to look at the clock.] clock.] breaks.] clock.] IRINA: That clock belonged to our mother. DOCTOR: Perhaps I didn't break it. It only looks as if I broke it. Perhaps we only think that we exist, when really we don't.

7 ARKADINA: VANYA: You want to [ANDRE's violin starts [VARYA takes the keys [Embracing her son.] throw me out? offstage.] from her belt and You mustn't cry. This PROFESSOR: MASHA: [entering, to throws them on the all will pass. He is Somebody make him KULYGIN] Shouldn't floor.] going away today, and stop. you go home? [He LOPAKHIN: My Nina will love you YELENA: Vanya, I groggily obeys.] I can't head’s going round. again. Don't fight with command you to stop keep silent about I’ve bought the estate him. this instant. Andre. He has where my grandfather TREPLEV: I won't. VANYA: I refuse. mortgaged this house, and my father were [TRIGORIN enters Professor, you have and his wife has got all slaves. It’s only a with the book. ruined my life! I have the money. dream. [Jangles keys.] TREPLEV scurries never lived! [Exits.] Musicians, play on. I off.] want to hear you. Play!

ARKADINA SONIA: You must be IRINA: Everybody's [The full band plays.] [examining watch]: kind to him, Papa. gone to look at the fire, LOPAKHIN [to The carriage will soon PROFESSOR: Very but he sits alone and LUBOV]: Why didn't be here. well. I shall have a talk plays his fiddle. I'm you take my advice? TRIGORIN: Do let us with him. [Exits.] already twenty-three. My poor dear woman. stay. OLGA: Don't cry, dear You can't go back now. ARKADINA: Be girl. sober. Your emotions IRINA: I'm not crying. have intoxicated you.. [cries] My love for you is the OLGA: You should last chapter of my life. marry the baron. [They embrace] IRINA: I'll find true TRIGORIN: Take me love in Moscow. away with you. MASHA: I'm in love ARKADINA: [aside] with Vershinin Now he is mine. OLGA: Shhhhh!

[All exit. The luggage [ANDRE comes in. [LOPAKHIN exits. The is taken away. NINA The siblings all look at party dies down. All and TRIGORIN enter.] each other then break exit except LUBOV, TRIGORIN: I must go out in tears and crying on the couch. now. embrace.] Anya comes to comfort NINA: Just one more her.] minute.

8 [NINA and TRIGORIN [The band stops kiss.] [A GUNSHOT and again.] shriek offstage.] [The characters notice [The chase comes [The characters notice [The characters notice the gunshot and exit.] onstage.] the gunshot and exit.] the gunshot and exit.] PROF: Hold him! He's gone mad! [The DOCTOR fails to wrest the revolver from VANYA.] VANYA: Let me go! [He shoots and misses.] I didn't get him? I missed again? Damnation! To hell with him!

[A bell rings. VANYA pauses.] SERVANT: How long have we known each other? DOCTOR: Have I changed much since then? [A bell rings.]

FOURTH MOVEMENT: DEPARTING [TREPLEV's [VANYA's bedroom. [The old garden. ] [The nursery, now converted writing He enters with the empty. ] room.] DOCTOR.] [TREPLEV plays a VANYA: I saw you [LOPAKHIN enters melancholy waltz kiss her! with a tray of offstage. DOCTOR: Yes, sir, I champagne. MEDVEDENKO and did kiss her. This is a LOPAKHIN puts the MASHA are onstage. farce! Ten years or so tray down, toasts to He holds a baby. She of this life of ours have himself, and slowly ignores him.] sucked us under. Give starts to drink.] it back, will you? VANYA: I took [Soldiers and servants nothing from you. say goodbye to each DOCTOR: You took a other at the back of the little bottle of stage. ANDRE wheels morphine out of my a perambulator across medicine case. the back of the stage.]

9 MEDVED: That old TROFIMOV: [SONIA glares at theatre ought to be [Entering] Where the VANYA. He removes [IRINA waves bye to knocked down... still devil are my galoshes? the morphine from its the soldiers.] standing there, naked hiding place in the DOCTOR: They as a skeleton. [Exits.] drawer and puts it on forgot to say goodbye the desk.] to me. [MASHA listens to the IRINA: You were on [VARYA angrily throws offstage sound of the boulevard last on the galoshes from TREPLEV playing night. Tell me what offstage] piano. She dances to happened. TROFIMOV: These herself.] DOCTOR: What aren't my galoshes! happened? Nothing. [exits] [exits with newspaper.]

[YELENA hovers at KULYGIN: They say [The sound of the door.] that Soleni and the TREPLEV"s piano VANYA: There it is! Baron met yesterday starts to resemble a Now we must get to on the boulevard near chopping axe.] work all at once. the theatre-- ANYA: [entering] [All exit.] BARON: Stop! [exits] Mother asks if you KULYGIN: They say will stop them cutting that Soleni is in love down the orchard until with Irina and hates she has gone away. DOCTOR: [entering] the Baron. LOPAKHIN: All right, What a lot of changes IRINA: The Baron and all right. you have made here! I will be married [He exits. The [Piano stops. tomorrow, and the new SERVANT buzzes TREPLEV enters.] life begins. around with luggage. DOCTOR: We are Enter LUBOV] keeping Treplev from ANYA: A new life his work. begins, mother. TREPLEV: No matter. LUBOV: We still have [beat.] five minutes.

10 [TREPLEV notices the [ANDRE walks by LOPAKHIN sound of the again with the [entering]: Let's get it SERVANT's giggling. perambulator. The over with. I don’t feel I DOCTOR exits. SERVANT looks in and could ever propose to ARKADINA and giggles at the baby. her without you. TRIGORIN enter, DOCTOR enters. Sits LUBOV: Excellent. followed by SERVANT down with newspaper. It'll only take a minute. with luggage.] Enter MASHA.] [exits.] [TREPLEV stands MASHA: Here you are [LOPAKHIN, alone formally and shakes doing nothing. with the champagne hands politely with Did you love my glasses. Drinks a bit TRIGORIN. They all mother? more. All gone.] stand awkwardly for a DOCTOR: Very much. bit. TREPLEV kisses MASHA: And did she his mother and leaves. love you? We hear the piano DOCTOR: I don't start up again.] remember . [Looks at watch.] I go tomorrow

[MASHA takes out a ANDRE: Something [LOPAKHIN paces.] bingo set and sets it happened yesterday by up. They play. MASHA the theater. The whole calls numbers town knows of it. throughout, counting DOCTOR: Nothing. down from 100.] Silly. His third duel. MASHA: Whose? DOCTOR: Soleni's ANDRE: And the Baron? DOCTOR: What about the Baron?

11 TRIGORIN: He has ANDRE: In my never created a single opinion it's simply living character. immoral to fight in a duel, or to be present in the role of doctor. DOCTOR: It only seems so…we don't exist. We don't really live. It only seems that we live. [exits.] DOCTOR: [enters] I [YELENA enters with [KULYGIN searches have great faith in him. a suitcase.] for MASHA.] He thinks in images. [exits.] SERVANT: Sir, you [Enter the BARON in told me to have the [DOCTOR enters.] a straw hat.] IRINA: seagull stuffed that he YELENA: I am going Where are you going? killed some time ago. away. What took place by the TRIGORIN: Did I? DOCTOR: So soon? theatre yesterday? [TREPLEV enters and YELENA: How BARON: In an hour's opens the window] comical you are. I time I shall return...I shall take this pencil as haven't had any coffee a memento. today. [Exits] [ARKADINA clears [She kisses him [IRINA sits on a throat angrily. passionately. She pulls swing.] TREPLEV shuts away sadly. Picks up window.] suitcase.] TRIGORIN: Bingo! [ARKADINA leads [Enter VANYA with applause. All exit PROFESSOR and except TREPLEV.] SONIA. PROFESSOR and YELENA make ANDRE: The present their goodbyes and is beastly. And when I leave.] think of the future. [Weeps.]

12 [TREPLEV writes. NATASHA [At Suddenly, NINA enters window, with baby.]: at the window. They Shhhhhh! embrace.] . NINA: I am a seagull. [VERSHININ enters. No, no. I am an [SONIA and VANYA Says goodbye to actress. Have you are working silently. OLGA and kisses forgotten how pleasant The DOCTOR gets his MASHA. KULYGIN the old times were? Do bag.] watches from the side. you remember your SONIA: When shall VERSHININ Exits. [VARYA is pushed play? we see you again? SOLENI enters with onstage. She pretends [She does the DOCTOR: Not before pistols and gestures for to look for something. interpretive dance summer. [Considers the DOCTOR to follow LOPAKHIN from Act 1. Then she saying something to him. SOLENI gets awkwardly stands embraces him and...] SONIA but looks at a impatient and exits. around trying to get map.] I'll bet it's hot in The sisters wait the courage up to ask Africa right now. alone.] her to marry him.] [NINA exits.] [DOCTOR exits.] [A SHOT echoes in the [LOPAKHIN exits.] distance.]

[TREPLEV spends a DOCTOR: [Entering] minute tearing up all The Baron was killed his manuscripts. He in a duel just now. [VANYA silently exits.] IRINA: I knew it. I strokes SONIA's hair knew it. as they go to work.] [VARYA weeps alone.] [The party reenters, DOCTOR: I'm tired. having finished dinner. [Sits with his [LUBOV, TROFIMOV, The SERVANT takes a newspaper.] and the rest enter. They seagull out of cabinet take VARYA in their and sets it on table.] arms and leave.] [Another SHOT is [DOCTOR is jolted [The door shuts.] heard.] out of his seat.]

13 DOCTOR: Probably SONIA: What can we OLGA: If only we one of my medicine do? We shall lives our knew. If only we knew. bottles. [Goes offstage. lives. We shall rest. Reenters and announces.] DOCTOR: Treplev has shot himself.

SERVANT: It's locked. They've gone away.

[All exit except for the DOCTOR and SERVANT, who injects the DOCTOR with the morphine VANYA had stolen.] DOCTOR: They've forgotten about me. Never mind. I'll sit here. I didn't see…oh, these young people. Life's gone on as if I'd never lived. I'll lie down.

SERVANT: You've no strength left in you. Nothing left at all. Oh, you bungler! [The DOCTOR lies down. We hear the distant sound of a breaking string. Blackout.] THE END