Dear Anton! Dear Olga! at the Polaris North Studio

Victoria L. Dammer
August 18, 2024
New York Theater, Off Broadway, Polaris North Studio, Victoria L. Dammer

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NEW YORK – Dear Anton! Dear Olga! at the Polaris North Studio

The creative arts have cultivated some of history’s most sumptuous and sensual love affairs. Actor Elizabeth Taylor discussed her passion for Richard Burton, saying, “When I saw him on the set of Cleopatra, we were always madly and powerfully in love.” Painter Pablo Picasso had several wives and mistresses who influenced his artwork. King Edward VIII gave up his crown for a woman, saying, “I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden…without the help and support of the woman I love.”

Anton Chekhov and Olga Knipper

Dear Anton! Dear Olga!, a play written and directed by Tatiana Korinfsky, masterfully captures one of the most passionate relationships in theater history. A series of telegrams and letters of love and longing between Russia’s famous playwright Anton Chekhov (Eric Kuzmuk) and stage actress Olga Knipper (Snezhana Chernova) are read aloud. The audience realizes the pain both felt throughout their relationship because of separation; Knipper spent most of her time in Moscow, and Chekhov spent his in Yalta in the late 1800s.

Chekhov, Ibsen and Strindberg

Chekhov was born impoverished in southern Russia and was heavily influenced by his mother, who was an exceptional storyteller. During his schooling, he wrote short and humorous stories to provide for his family financially. Alongside Henrik Ibsen and August Strindberg, he influenced the Modernist writing style.

The Seagull

Chekhov wrote the novella-length short story The Steppe, a play entitled Ivanov, a critical success, The Seagull, and others. Knipper, an original member of the Moscow Art Theatre, met Russia’s most eligible literary bachelor while rehearsing the play The Seagull in Moscow. Thus, their correspondence and love affair began and lasted until his death.

Tuberculosis and Mood-Swings

Chekhov’s letter and telegrams to Olga reflected the miserable gloom of Russia, and the audience could perceive his despair. He complained of his poor health, afflicted with tuberculosis. Knipper’s writing to the playwright exhibited her well-known temper and mood swings, allowing the audience to perceive her personality.

August Strindberg. Unknown source, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons — August Strindberg 91902). Unknown source, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Theatergoer Ibragim Soliev, from Chikola, Vladikavkaz, said the overall subdued temperament of Chekhov and Knipper’s communications comes from a society where love and passion are rarely displayed in writing. Understanding society’s personality when the letters are written is essential.

Polaris North. A NYC Theatre Co-op of Actors, Directors and Playwrights. Courtesy polarisnorth.org

Knipper summarizes both actors’ angst about their footprint on history, saying, “Will we be remembered in 50 years? Will we touch any lives?” Dear Anton! Dear Olga! is the performance that confirms their legacy. Just as important, Chernova and Kuzmuk’s performances were remarkable and unforgettable.

Dear Anton! Dear Olga! is playing at the Polaris North Studio for a limited engagement. Written and directed by Tatiana Korinfsky. Starring Snezhana Chernova and Eric Kuzmuk, with Jeannie Dalton and Andrew Rothkin. Set/costume design by Tatiana Korinfsky, and Lighting/sound by Keithlyn B. Parkman.