Chekhov wrote many unremembered plays, mostly farces and vaudevilles. And then at the end of his life he produced four masterpieces. These four plays are often misinterpreted as depressing, psychological 'mood' plays with no action. In fact, Chekhov hated the idea that his characters had been misunderstood as cry babies. And they are far from being pure mood plays. A close study of Greek tragedy had revealed to Chekhov a secret formula that underpins these plays. He created a new way of showing dramatic action. Those techniques learned from Greek drama made him a great original storyteller of the stage.
How Chekhov became a great storyteller
How Chekhov became a great storyteller
How Chekhov became a great storyteller
Chekhov wrote many unremembered plays, mostly farces and vaudevilles. And then at the end of his life he produced four masterpieces. These four plays are often misinterpreted as depressing, psychological 'mood' plays with no action. In fact, Chekhov hated the idea that his characters had been misunderstood as cry babies. And they are far from being pure mood plays. A close study of Greek tragedy had revealed to Chekhov a secret formula that underpins these plays. He created a new way of showing dramatic action. Those techniques learned from Greek drama made him a great original storyteller of the stage.