Russian playwright Anton Chekhov's most famous works, such as The Seagull, Uncle Vanya and The Three Sisters, turned him into a 20th century critic's darling. But, for all the critics' praise he received, Chrekhov was troubled by the label "tragedist" because he considered his plays, which deal with loss, suicide and missed opportunities, to be comedies.
Sophomore Amit Mahtaney agrees: As a director in the upcoming Duke Players' offering of Chekhov one-acts this weekend, he aims to show Chekhov's humor with three short pieces: On The Harmful Effects of Tobacco and The Bear, both by Chekhov, and The Audition, by Neil Simon. Mahtaney co-directs The Audition and The Bear with fellow sophomore Naomi Reagan and performs in On the Harmful Effects of Tobacco under the direction of freshman Sabrina Jawed.
"There's a feeling of being depressed associated with Chekhov," Mahtaney said, but the pieces "comment on the stuffy side of Chekhov with a twist of humor." The Bear is a one-act farce touching on the absurdity and whimsy of physical attraction, while The Audition features the disembodied voice of Chekhov auditioning a nervous young woman.
With a cast of stellar Duke stage regulars taking the stage tonight, perhaps Chekhov will provoke, rather than the usual misty eyes and post-show soul-searching, a round of raucous laughter.
Duke Players Lab Theater runs tonight through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. in East Campus's Branson Theater. Tickets are $6 for students, $8 for adults.
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