The Cherry Orchard / As You Like It

Epikhodov / Charles

Directed by Simon Tavener / Alex Brinkman-Young

Photography by Greg Blatchford

This double-header was my first ever summer season. Outside to minimise the impact of Covid and to enjoy the summer weather, it was a welcome return to live theatre. I had my eye on Chekhov for a while and was excited to give it a go. The comedy was subtle and infused with a growing melancholy that I had never seen before. I particularly enjoyed doing both shows for a longer run - I found that the characters settled really nicely because we could sit with them for a little more time than I am used to on the student scene. It gives you an opportunity to see what lands well with audiences and what doesn't, so the character evolves during the run.

I was also keen to try my hand at some Shakespeare and, as Charles, I got to try some proper fight choreography for the first time. The sword fighting was challenging but impressive and really captured the audience's attention. I would love to do more if I get the chance. It was a fantastic three weeks filled classic theatre and I felt a renewed sense of hope that theatre will make a full recovery when we finally get the chance.

When Madame Ranevsky returns to her family estate after an absence of five years, the cherry orchard is as glorious as ever. But unpaid debts and family strife have brought her ancestral home to the brink of ruin. The tide of change is coming, and a civilised and complacent culture is on the brink of collapse.

The Cherry Orchard