W.E.A.

Evening Star, Issue 22444, 15 September 1936, Page 14

W.E.A.

ARTS CLASS ACTIVITIES Tho drama and the arts classes combined on September 12, on the occasion of a lecture by Dr Findlay on the Russian dramatist, Tcheckov. There was an attendance of approximately 80 in the Y.W.C.A. Hall. Dr Findlay, in his opening remarks, stressed the fact that Russian drama differed from the English in stylle—as, indeed, did the dramas of all countries differ according to national characteristics. Tcheckov’s ancestors were peasants, and the consequent interest he had in this class of the people was reflected in his plays, for his understanding of them enabled him to portray them and their characteristics sympathetically, accurately, and convincingly. To most English people his plays were difficult, but according to his environment all his plays were masterpieces of literature, and all comedies. Later in his life illhealth compelled him to live in quiet and solitude for the most part, and the resultant peace of mind was to be seen in hie later plays. Tcheckov’s plays must be followed closely, said the speaker, for although there was a great deal of apparently irrelevant matter, the tempo was fastr—it moved very quickly, and changed rapidly from viewpoint to fresh viewpoint. His dramas were, therefore, very complicated in structure, but there was nothing fortuitous in any of them. ‘ The Cherry Orchard ’ is a very good example. Many people said his plays were not dramas , because there was no sustained action on the stage, but this statement was quite erroneous. Tcheckov chose typical incidents from the everyday life of his characters, and these scenes depicted by him were consequently true to life. The type of characters in Tchcckov’s dramas comprised the Russian landed gentry, for the most part ignorant and with high-flown ideas. Owing to the oppression of this class when Tcheckov was living, he usually depicted them as gloomy and depressed, for at that time the economic position of the country was being undermined, and tho majority vyere unable to carry on their farms successfully. All estates in Tcheckov’s plays were mortgaged, and indifference and inefficiency were very evident; the pigs on tho farm ivere all dying, and so were the cattle, and horses, should they be lucky enough to possess any. As a result of this the peasants were in a quasi-independent position. Upstart peasants were, therefore, found repeatedly in this great Russian dramatist’s plays. The industrialisation of Russia also assisted in the breaking down of the landed gentry. In still another respect did the Russian offer scope for Tcheckov’s genius, in that Russia imbibed Western culture, which was not in keeping with its peculiar temperament. The individual traits of each particular character were traced with careful delineation, with the result that many apparently irrelevant incidents were introduced, as, for instance, a lengthy discursion into a certain game of bridge. Difficult as plays of this nature might seem to us, yet it would produce, and with Tcheckov did produce, a truer index to the character and personality of the speaker. The general trend, however, of all hi? dramas was “ the _ debunking of egoism,” which gave rise to comedy in the true sense of the word. The fact that each person wanted to be a hero provided much humour and was the foundation for Tcheckov’s complicated superstructure. And yet Tcheckov was such a master at the art that every player had the complete sympathy of his audience, even though that player may have had opinions radically opposed to that of his listeners; it was remarkable that there was no welldefined villain in Tcheckov. Dr Findlay then described the plot basis of some of Tcheckov’s plays, those chosen being ‘ Ivanoff,’ ‘ The Three Sisters,’ ‘ The Cherry Orchard,’ and ‘ The Seagull,’ from the last of which he read an extract. Tho excerpt proved admirably suitable in that all the points mentioned by Dr Findlay were brought out —the upstart peasants, the intelligentsia, the neverending chain of love, and the mortgaged estate. ‘ The Cherry Orchard ’ had much to teach, he said. The estate in this drama was, of course, mortgaged, the pigs were dying, and the place was falling to ruin, and yet the owners were quite unable to adjust themselves to the fact that they were going to lose it. This play was an excellent study of the break-up of feudal Russia and the disruption of the estate and the home. At the conclusion of this very informative and interesting address the chairman and tutor, Mr J. A, Brailsford, thanked Dr Findlay, and Miss Rollo and Mr D. J. Munro also voiced their appreciation on behalf of the drama and the arts classes respectively. One of Tcheckov’s shorter plays, ‘ The Bear,’ was then presented, and a first-class performance was given by the players. In the opinion of those present who also saw the Drama League finals recently, the standard of work was definitely equal to that seen at that festival. The make-up of the characters assisted materially in obtaining the necessary atmosphere. The various parts were taken by Miss R. Bullen, Mr R. King, and Mr C. Howell.