Category: Robert Falls

Theater Review: ‘The Cherry Orchard’: Compelling Revival With a Comedic Slant

CHICAGO—Characters that bump into furniture, laugh at inappropriate moments, and engage in plenty of pratfalls are not what one usually expects from Anton Chekhov’s (1860–1904) “The Cherry Orchard.” In the past, the play has typically been presented as a Russian tragedy. But that wasn’t the playwright’s intent. In this winsome revival, outgoing artistic director Robert…


Theater Review: ‘Swing State’: Slow-Moving Story with Unsatisfying Climax

CHICAGO, IL—With a title like “Swing State,” one might have reason to think this play, which opened in its world-premiere at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, is about politics. But it’s really not. The play takes place in the summer of 2021 in a cozy corner of rural Wisconsin, which may be why playwright Rebecca…