THIS IS THE PLAY WITHOUT A TITLE (The Far Away Plays)****

 

By Dave

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23fpdOl28lk 

Available until: Unknown

We’ve known about The Far Away Plays for a while but this is only the second time we’ve actually watched one. I doubt it will be the last. Judging from the standard of this play, we’ve missed some really great performances.

This version of This is the Play Without a Title was written by Simon Harris but it’s actually based on a play by Anton Chekhov. Chekhov didn’t much like it, it was never performed in his lifetime and he thought it had been destroyed but his sister had hidden it. After Chekhov’s death the play was rediscovered and performed. The work was untitled but an article in the Sydney Theatre magazine suggests it might have originally been called Fatherlessness, and it has been presented under many titles including A Long Play Without a Title, Chekhov’s First Play, Platonov, which is the name of the character at the centre of it all, and rather more confusingly, Wild Honey in an adaptation by Michael Frayn. Chekhov’s other works include A Story Without a Title so maybe that influenced the sort of title this play is usually given.

CARDIFF EAST (The Far Away Plays)***

 

By Cal

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sgyy6hNu4eE&t=356s

Available until: Unknown

Hoffwn i ysgrifennu fy adolygiad i yng Nghymraeg achos bod hi’n ddrama Gymraeg (ond bron y gyd yn Saesneg) ac rwy i’n caru Cymru, ond mae Cymraeg fel yn iaith gyfrinachol sydd dim ond ychydig o bobl yn ei deal e. A hefyd, dw i ddim in siarad Cymraeg yn rhy dda. (Os ydych chi’n siarad Cymraeg, rwy i’n siwr bod chi wedi sylweddoli hynny!)

That’s supposed to say: I would like to write my review in Welsh because it is a Welsh play (but nearly all in English) and I love Wales, but Welsh is like a secret language which only a few people understand. And also, I don’t speak Welsh very well. (If you speak Welsh, I’m sure you’ve realised that!)