Gorki - Tchekhov 1900

A powerful, moving, funny dialogue between two of the greatest authors of Russian literature

“In 1900, at the beginning of our century, the telephone existed but did not yet connect NizhniNovgorod and Yalta. How lucky for us! Because it is through letters that two major authors
of Russian theater, Maxim Gorky and Anton Chekhov, enter into a relationship. » writes Evelyne Loew
in her presentation of the correspondence between the two authors which she adapted for the
scene in 1995.
When Gorky, a beginner in literature, learns that Chekhov, a famous writer to whom he devotes
boundless admiration, spoke highly of one of his stories, he wrote her a letter of
fiery recognition. This is how their correspondence begins. Very quickly, this
exchange between two writers becomes dialogue between two “great” human beings,
addressing multiple subjects: literature, its environment, Stanislavski's Art Theater, but
also the troubled world in which they live, on the eve of the Russian revolution of 1905…
In a subtle and lively language, and an effective and intelligent montage of fragments of
letters, the text of Evelyne Loew restores the two artists in the vibration of their truth in
moment when they confide in each other.
Sometimes it is the eldest who encourages his younger brother in writing in the direction of the theater, sometimes
it is the younger brother who consoles the playwright injured by the unkind reception of criticism towards
from The Seagull. Listening to them, we only want one thing: to throw ourselves into the works that very evening.
of the two authors