The Grasshopper
by Anton Chekhov
Cast and Crew
Directed by Susan Coyne
Cast Nancy Palk, Kelly Penner, Rena Polley, David Storch
Page to Stage: Theatrical Readings
The Grasshopper by Anton Chekhov is the second presentation in our series of Page to Stage Theatrical Readings of literary works.
Dymov, a doctor, is a simple man of science. His new bride, Olga Ivanovna, loves beauty, excitement and gaiety. At first their life together is blissfully happy. He loves her for her artistic nature. She loves his kindness and good sense.
But when a handsome and famous artist takes Olga under his wing, things begin to unravel.
The Grasshopper is considered one of Chekhov's most autobiographical works and caused a scandal in Moscow's literary and art world when it was published.
Audience Comments
“I wanted to tell you how much we enjoyed The Grasshopper ... and more, it was in a medium I have never quite seen before, half acting and half narrative; done with a light touch, understating the acting when the narrative was strong, but succeeding through your acting to bring parts of the narrative to life. At the end, though, it still felt like a story rather than a play, and we got to hear Chekhov’s voice directly. I was struck that the characters, could have been in any of his plays; their dialogue could also have been from one of his plays; but the way you presented it, we also got to hear some of the wit and irony of the narrator, which lifted it up, beyond reading or enacting. From my seat in the audience, it really worked beautifully."
- P. Burns
"I enjoyed the performances very much. My only wish is that the Chekhov Collective could present more of these perfect gems in the very style and enthusiasm as I have seen this and your prior wonderful productions. I will attend all your performances, to be sure."
- R.Vezér”
"I am a member of small Russian speaking “theatre lovers” group on Facebook; we like to share information regarding theatre events in Toronto, discuss the performances, meet sometimes or read plays together. The Grasshopper was a really enjoyable experience and it is not only my opinion, but also the other members of the group agreed that the project was done with a great love to Chekhov and his talent: “Like it, it was done with humour and love to Chekhov”. "Amazing cast and the play made me want to reread Chekhov”. I like the format of “reading”: with minimum decorations and costumes, every character and his/her emotions were clearly presented by the talented actors. Really great cast! Thank you one more time for the great experience and also for making it very affordable for the audience. Looking forward for your next projects."
- Natalia
"Excellent show; the story was beautifully brought to life. We thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to your next production.”
"Just loved your performances last night at the Tarragon. When I read it again, I shall always have your faces, characters and superb acting indelibly imprinted in my mind. Many thanks.”