A Review

Irresistible Fools

By R. J. Donovan

Any chance to see Kate Burton on stage is well worth taking. Currently seen in "Grey's Anatomy" on the tube, Burton is back at the Huntington where she scored nicely in "Hedda Gabler" a few seasons back.

This time around she's reunited with director Nicholas Martin (and the Huntington's Artistic Director) to present Richard Nelson's new adaptation of Anton Chekhov's "The Cherry Orchard."

The ensemble cast is a strong one, with Burton (left, at center) amidst the swirling action as Madame Lyubov Andreevna Ranevskaya.

With no sense of restraint, the good lady has been in Paris, seemingly spending money like it's going out of style. Now in 1904 and she's returning to the ancestral manse in Russia where the rest of the family (servants included) have been holed up trying to make ends meet.

The change purse is empty, the house has been mortgaged to the hilt and if something's not done, the magnificent mansion and adjacent cherry orchard will be auctioned off to the highest bidder. However, the generous Madame Ranevskaya, not one to be distracted by practicality or common sense, partys the night away.

Shooting from comedy to tragedy while touching on class, politics, wealth and obligation, Nelson's translation is sharp and precise. (Chekhov himself might have chuckled when, on the cusp of a 70-degree January week in Boston, one of the biggest laughs of the night came with one character pondering "What is wrong with our weather?")

The talented company is a mixture of local and national faces. Will Lebow is Lopakin, a merchant (and former peasant) who tries desperately but unsuccessfully to supply Ranevskaya with a viable plan for salvation; Jeremiah Kissel turns in another sharp performance as a local land owner who'd try to borrow money from a rock; Sarah Hudnut delivers an aching portrayal of Varya, who longs for love but, completely dressed in black, seems more suited for life in a monastery; Jessica Dickey is bright and bubbly as the banana-curled maid; Mark Blum is Ranevskaya's rambling brother, seemingly so in love with the sound of his own voice that he delivers a long-winded eulogy to a bookcase; Gene Farber is a smart-mouthed footman; Jeremy Beck is an accident waiting to happen as Yephikhodov; and Enver Gjokaj is the impassioned student who sees the world as no one else.

Of special note, Dick Latessa gives a warm performance as the doddering old servant, Firs, and Joyce Van Patten is a treat as Charlotta, the crotchety, no-nonsense governess who doesn't have much of a work load with the family any more.

Once again, the Huntington design team works their magic on stage. Aided by Donald Holder's lighting and projections, Ralph Funicello's detailed set is charming, from the mansion itself to the cemetery in the trunk-dotted orchard. Robert Morgan's costumes are also great, particularly the glittering ball gown worn by Kate Burton in Act Two.

"The Cherry Orchard" bears its fruit at The Huntington through February 4.

"The Cherry Orchard" is at The Huntington Theatre, 264 Huntington Avenue in Boston, through February 4. For information, call 617-266-0800.

Production Photos: T. Charles Erickson

-- OnStage Boston

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