A Country Scandal (Platonov)A Russian version of Don Juan is the focus of Chekhov's first play, a farce in which a newly arrived schoolmaster proves irresistible to the bored women of a provincial community. Platonov's charm lies in his novelty, and his seductions are strictly passive as a libidinous widow, her idealistic stepdaughter, and an earnest student vie for his romantic attentions. Discovered in 1923, two decades after Chekhov's death, this play was written while the author was still a medical student. Adapted and translated by Alex Szogyi, it offers the trenchant wit and rich characterizations typical of the dramatist's later works. Woven amid the love affairs, suicide attempts, parties, and shootings are the customary themes of Chekhovian theater: the passions and frailties of human nature, the futility of the search for happiness, and the alternating episodes of comedy and tragedy that shape every life. |
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Common terms and phrases
afraid ANNA PETROVNA answer arms beautiful believe called Chekhov's coming course crying dear doctor don't door drink drunk embrace enters everything eyes face falls father feel forget forgive garden give GLAGOLAEv JUNIOR goes gone GREKOVA hand happened happy head hear honor husband It's IVAN TRILETSKI KATYA keep kill kisses laughs leave letter listen live look married mean Michael Michael Vassilievich Misha Mother moves never NICHOLAs TRILETSKI night Ossip Pause PETRIN PLATONov play poor quickly respect rubles runs S C E N E SACHA SCENE SENIOR Sergey Silence sits sleep SOFIA someone speak stay stop suffering talk tears tell terrible things throws told tomorrow tries understand VENGEROVICH voice voiniTZEv wait wife window wish woman women YAKOv You're young