About this ebook
This is a drama of a Russian landowner's half-farcical, half serious personal crisis as he plummets fast into domestic and philosophical chaos. The central scene concerns a debate between the landowner and the young doctor about honesty. The latter thinks that honesty is to do with blurting out offensive truths, whilst the former insists that no-one can acquire honesty unless they have the self knowledge to examine their own motives. By turns despairing and passionate, this play offers an insight into a robust young writer, exploring themes that were to interest him in his later plays.
About the author
Anton Chekhov (1860-1904), Russian physician, dramatist and author, is considered to be one of the greatest writers of short stories and modern drama. Born in Taganrog, a port town near the Black Sea, he attended medical school at Moscow University. He began writing to supplement his income, writing short humorous sketches of contemporary Russian life. A successful literary careered followed, before his premature death of TB at the age of 44. He is best-remembered for his four dramatic masterpieces: The Seagull (1896), Uncle Vanya (1899), Three Sisters (1901) and The Cherry Orchard (1904).
Sir David Hare is a British playwright and director, noted for his critical examination of post-war British society. In 1968 he became a founder of the travelling fringe company, Portable Theatre, which performed some of his early plays. The following year he became resident playwright at the Royal Court Theatre, before being made resident playwright at the Nottingham Theatre in 1973. In 1974 he co-founded the Joint Stock Company. His plays include Slag, Brassneck, Fanshen, Pravda, Racing Demon, Murmuring Judges, The Absence of War, Amy's View, Via Dolorosa, The Permanent Way, Stuff Happens, The Vertical Hour, The Power of Yes, Berlin and Wall. He was knighted in 1998.
