THE CHERRY TORTURED – READING may 31
Playwright Aaron Posner visits Playhouse with his latest - ongoing - work!
Welcome to join us May 31st for a reading that will be something extra! The playwright himself, Aaron Posner, will be here at the theatre and the play in question – Posner’s latest Chekhov adaptation The Cherry Tortured – hasn’t even world premiered yet! It’s a work in progress and this reading will be the very first time it meets an audience. On top of that it’s the 50th reading arranged here at Playhouse – come celebrate with us!
Aaron Posner is an award-winning American playwright and director with a track record of over 100 productions ranging over almost three decades. The past ten years he’s had great success with his adaptations of Chekhov plays such as Life Sucks – Posner’s version of Uncle Vanya (Morbror Vanja), performed here at Playhouse as Livet Suger in 2021. Stupid fucking bird – a modern version of The Seagull (Måsen) – has been produced more than 200 times all over the US and internationally, including here in Sweden at Kulturhuset Stadsteatern.
This reading presents Posner’s ongoing work with The Cherry Tortured – his modern version of Chekhov’s very last play; The Cherry Orchard (Körsbärsträdgården). Posner will be here at Playhouse May 29th through 31st, workshopping the play with a group of Swedish actors, and they’ll then share the result with you during the reading!
The reading is performed in English and you’ll meet characters such as the radiant and passionate – but also utterly narcissistic – Miss Lulu (Madame Ranyevskaya in the original play) and Peter Maxwell (Peter Trofimov) – very, very smart, very stuck in his head and very...emotionally awkward.
Chekhov himself described the original play as a comedy but its dual nature has often been debated among directors and others, some treating it more as a tragedy. Whether either of these sides will be more prominent in Aaron Posner’s adaptation – well that is for you to find out! Welcome to join us!