Uncle Vanya [Paperback]

Along withThree SistersandThe Cherry Orchard,Uncle Vanyais credited as one of Chekhov's masterpieces and a significant precursor of modern drama. Set on a country estate in late nineteenth century Russia,Uncle Vanyais in part a study of the enervation of Russian middle-class provincial life. The major dynamics between the characters themselves are centred on two obsessive love affairs that lead nowhere and a flirtation that brings disaster. Mixing the tragic and the absurd and dealing with a form that allows for ambiguity and contradiction, Uncle Vanya has been deemed the first modernist play . (David Lan)

A masterpiece of Russian theatre, this student edition features the definitive translation by acclaimed playwright Michael Frayn.

Methuen Student Editions are expertly annotated texts of a wide range of plays. Contains the complete text of the play, the volume contains a chronology of the playwright's life and work; an introduction giving the background to the play; a discussion of various interpretations; and notes on individual words and phrases in the text

Anton Chekhov(1860-1904), Russian physician, dramatist and author, is considered to be one of the greatest writers of short stories and modern drama. Born in Taganrog, a port town near the Black Sea, he attended medical school at Moscow University. He began writing to supplement his income, writing short humorous sketches of contemporary Russian life. A successful literary careered followed, before his premature death of TB at the age of 44. He is best-remembered for his four dramatic masterpieces:The Seagull(1896),Uncle Vanya(1899),Three Sisters(1901) andThe Cherry Orchard(1904).

Michael Fraynread Russian, French and Moral Sciences (Philosophy) at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He began his career as a journalist on theManchester Guardianand theObserver. His award-winning plays includeAlphabeticallÃ-