Chekhov's First Play NYC Reviews and Tickets

77%

(43 Ratings)

Positive

81%

Mixed

12%

Negative

Members say

Ambitious, Clever, Confusing, Quirky, Edgy

About the Show

A new arrangement of Chekhov's very first play, previously thought to be impossible to stage.

During the chaos of the 1917 Russian Revolution, Maria Chekhov locked a number of her late brother Anton’s scripts in a safety deposit box. In 1921, Soviet scholars opened the box and found a play inside, with no title page, a long list of characters, and a great number of themes and action. It was dubbed unstageable.

Dead Centre has deconstructed the Chekhov text into a bombastic and thrilling piece that has surprised and entertained audiences across the globe, and is now making its New York debut.

Show-Score Member Reviews (43)

Enchanting, Delightful, Clever, Entertaining, Absorbing

See it if great experimental theater with an amazing set...I could go on, short on time but SEE it

Don't see it if u like typical straight forward plots

Thrilling, Must see, Edgy, Clever, Absorbing

See it if you want a unique theatrical experience that is quite strange yet consistently engaging and often thrilling

Don't see it if you want a linear plot and clear message; you dislike shows that leave you feeling confused or unsettled; you dislike unexpected twists Read more

Thought-provoking, Refreshing, Edgy, Clever, Ambitious

See it if Wow! I was blown away by this production. It was so thought provoking, puzzling and amazingly creative.

Don't see it if you like conventional theatre and dont like to be puzzled Read more

Oddly absorbing, Clever "never seen anything like it" form., Totally unique, Must see, Inside out theater

See it if you want unique theater. What you see in the beginning isn't what you get in the end. You want to be surprised by theater again.

Don't see it if you need normal narrative, want to see Checkhov's first play legit or are unopen to other form. This flips things sideways and spins them.

Clever, Intelligent, Quirky, Original, Ambitious

See it if you like risk-taking theatre. This is a production of Platonov. You can see characters and themes that will be developed in later plays.

Don't see it if you like conventional theatre.

Delightful, Ambitious, Entertaining, Clever, Absorbing

See it if you want an experience that is unexpected and unique. Great acting and directing!

Don't see it if you don't like experimental plays and want a more conventional structure

Refreshing, Great staging, Clever, Ambitious

See it if you're interested in a very unorthodox and experimental take on Chekhov that is ultimately quite effective. The staging is delightful.

Don't see it if Don't expect to see a classic Chekhov play on stage. It'll help a lot if you're familiar with Chekhov's oeuvre in general. Read more

Entertaining, Clever, Absorbing

See it if You want to see a remarkably original take on a Chekhov play. It is very inventive and surprising with twists and turns.

Don't see it if You want to see a straightforward version of a Chekhov play. If you can't suspend your imagination and embrace this crazy production.

Critic Reviews (5)

"The performance we watch is, in a sense, the play within the play....'Chekhov’s First Play' surely felt much bolder and fresher when it was new."
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"The humor of the first half is rather mild, and the lengthy onstage falling apart is surprisingly decorous in its effect. If Chekhov's First Play is meant to shock or unsettle, it falls wide of the mark."
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"When I see something as wildly imaginative as 'Chekhov’s First Play,' I happily sit back in wonder...You don’t know what will happen next, but that’s part of the joy of this piece. It is a multi-sensory experience. Give in to it."
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The second half is darker, attaining a quiet power, with an entrancing dance sequence choreographed by Liv O’Donoghue. It all coheres into a thoughtfully entertaining experience.
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"One thing is certain: 'Chekhov’s First Play' isn’t boring."
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Trailer

Creative team

Dead Centre production