Everything you need to know about 'The Cherry Orchard' in the West End

A new staging of the bittersweet Chekhov classic starring Kristin Scott Thomas and Stephen Mangan arrives in the West End this October.

Summary

• Ian Rickson's production plays from 3 October to 9 January 2027 at the Harold Pinter Theatre
• Kristin Scott Thomas and Stephen Mangan lead the cast
• Conor McPherson (The Weir) pens a new adaptation
• The cast also includes Peter Wight; Ruby Bentall and Megan Cusack

Chekhov’s final masterpiece The Cherry Orchard returns to the West End this autumn directed by Ian Rickson (Jerusalem) in a new version by Conor McPherson (The Weir). The cast led is by Kristin Scott Thomas as aristocratic landowner Ranevskaya, with Stephen Mangan as the nouveau riche Lopakhin.

The Cherry Orchard was first performed in 1904 and its depiction of a world in flux remains as moving and wistfully comical as ever. Read on to learn more about this Russian masterpiece

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What is The Cherry Orchard about?

The Cherry Orchard is about Lyubov Ranevskaya (known as Ranevskaya or Madame Ranevskaya), who returns to her family’s heavily mortgaged ancestral home in rural Russia after many years in France following the death of her son. Ranevskaya and her brother Gaev are in denial and refuse to entertain businessman Lopakhin’s suggestion that the estate is subdivided and rented out for holiday cottages – not least because it would require the destruction of its famous cherry orchard. The play explores the conflict between tradition and modernity, the rise of the prosperous middle classes, and the aristocracy’s struggle to maintain its control.

Who wrote The Cherry Orchard?

The Cherry Orchard was the final play to be written by Anton Chekhov. Born in 1860, Chekhov worked as a doctor, which brought him into contact with patients from all levels of society. His first play to be performed was The Seagull in 1896, followed by Uncle Vanya, Three Sisters, and The Cherry Orchard. He also penned several volumes of short stories. He died of tuberculosis in 1904, aged 44. Chekhov is known for his realist style with deep psychological characterisation.

This production is presented in a new version by the celebrated Irish playwright Conor McPherson, perhaps best known for The Weir and The Girl from the North Country. He previously adapted Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya, also for director Ian Rickson. His adaptation of The Hunger Games can be seen at the Troubadour Theatre Canary Wharf.

When was The Cherry Orchard first performed?

The Cherry Orchard was first performed at Moscow Art Theatre on 17 January 1904, directed by Konstantin Stanislavski and starring Chekhov’s wife Olga Knipper as Ranevskaya. Chekhov was unhappy with the way in which Stanislavski directed the play as a tragedy, as he intended it to be a comedy.

The first English-language production of The Cherry Orchard was performed at the Aldwych Theatre in 1911, translated by Constance Garnett.

Is there a film version of The Cherry Orchard?

The Cherry Orchard has been adapted for television on several occasions and there was a feature film in 1999 adapted and directed by Michael Cacoyannis, which starred Charlotte Rampling and Alan Bates.

Where is The Cherry Orchard being performed?

The Cherry Orchard is being performed at the Harold Pinter Theatre, Panton Street. This venue has a capacity of about 800. Over the summer, the Harold Pinter is hosting a limited run of Abigail’s Party starring Tamzin Outhwaite.

When is The Cherry Orchard being performed?

The Cherry Orchard runs from 3 October to 9 January 2027. Performances take place Monday to Saturday at 7:30pm, with matinees on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2:30pm.

How long is The Cherry Orchard?

The running time of The Cherry Orchard is to be confirmed.

Who is in The Cherry Orchard cast?

The Cherry Orchard is led by the Oscar-nominated actress Dame Kristin Scott Thomas as Ranevskaya. Scott Thomas’s best known screen credits include Four Weddings and a Funeral, The English Patient, Gosford Park, I’ve Loved You So Long, and Slow Horses. She is well versed in Chekhov, having made her West End debut as Masha in Three Sisters and then winning an Olivier Award for her performance as Arkadina in The Seagull in 2007. She most recently appeared on stage as Queen Elizabeth II in The Audience and in Penelope Skinner’s play Lyonesse.

Scott Thomas is joined by Stephen Mangan (The Truth, Green Wing) as Lopakhin, Ruby Bentall (Industry, Poldark) as Sharlotta, Megan Cusack (Playboy of the Western World) as Dunyasha, Karl Johnson (King Lear) as Firs, Noof Ousellam (Macbeth) as Yasha, Nadia Parkes (Kidnapped) as Anya, Jack Riddiford (Stereophonic) as Trofimov, Vinette Robinson (Emilia) as Varya, Shubham Saraf (An Enemy of the People) as Yepikhodov, and Peter Wight (Three Sisters) as Gaev

Who is in the creative team of The Cherry Orchard?

The Cherry Orchard is directed by Ian Rickson. Rickson has previously directed Kristin Scott Thomas in The Seagull, Betrayal, Old Times, Electra, and Lyonesse. He was previously artistic director of the Royal Court from 1998 to 2006, where his credits included Jerusalem.

The creative team also includes set designer Chloe Lamford (Death of a Salesman on Broadway), lighting designer Bruno Poet (Macbeth), and movement director Shelley Maxwell (Intimate Apparel).

Who are the characters in The Cherry Orchard?

The Cherry Orchard features the following cast of cross-section of characters from turn-of-the-century Russia:

• Ranevskaya: a kind-hearted but irresponsible landowner, returning to Russia after many years abroad.
• Gaev: Ranevskaya’s brother, who is obsessed with billiards and lives in the past.
• Anya: Ranevskaya’s curious 17-year-old daughter.
• Varya: Ranevskaya’s sensible 24-year-old adopted daughter.
• Lopakhin: a wealthy merchant, the son of a peasant and grandson of a serf.
• Trofimov: a student with reforming zeal.
• Sharlotta: an eccentric governess.
• Firs: a senile manservant.
• Dunyasha: a social-climbing maid.
• Yasha: a young manservant.

What are some fun facts about The Cherry Orchard?

• The Cherry Orchard features autobiographical elements as Chekhov’s family home was lost when his mother was swindled by a former lodger. In later life, Chekhov became a passionate gardener and planted his own cherry orchard.

• The play premiered a year before the first Russian Revolution of 1905, which involved worker strikes and peasant and student uprisings, which led to the establishment of a constitutional monarchy (the monarchy was eventually abolished with the execution of Tsar Nicholas II and his family in 1918).

• Famous former Ranevskayas include Peggy Ashcroft, Penelope Wilton, Vanessa Redgrave, Zoe Wanamaker, and Nina Hoss (who will soon star alongside Cate Blanchett in Electra/Persona at the National Theatre).

• The Japanese manga Sakura no Sono (1985-6) is about the drama society of a girls’ school that is staging a production of The Cherry Orchard (Japan of course is famous for its cherry blossom).

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Photo credit: artwork for The Cherry Orchard. (Courtesy of production)