Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard is his final masterpiece, a tragicomedy about memory, loss, and the passing of an era. And in this L.A. Theatre Works production, available on Audible, the play comes alive as a full-cast audio recording, captured in front of a live audience.
At the center is Marsha Mason as Madame Ranyevskaya, returning to her family estate after years abroad. Mason is outstanding, she gives us a woman who is elegant and tender, but also blind to reality, clinging to the past as the orchard is sold out from under her. Critics have singled out her performance as the production’s greatest strength, and it’s easy to hear why.
She’s joined by Hector Elizondo as her brother Gayev and Michael Cristofer as Lopakhin, the businessman whose rise signals the end of the aristocratic world the family represents. The ensemble is strong, and while one or two performances may feel slightly out of step, the cast as a whole captures the delicate balance of humor and melancholy that defines Chekhov’s play.
What makes this recording special is the live energy. You hear the rhythm of dialogue, the pauses, even the audience’s reaction, and it gives the production a spark that a studio recording can’t match.
This adaptation leans toward the dramatic rather than the comic, emphasizing the sorrow of change and the inevitability of loss. But it still preserves the absurdity and small laughs that Chekhov wove into the play, reminding us that tragedy and comedy are never far apart.
In the end, this Cherry Orchard is both timeless and moving, a play about people who cannot change, brought to life by voices that give it depth and immediacy. For anyone who loves Chekhov, or simply enjoys audio theatre at its best, this recording is a richly rewarding listen.