Word: orchard
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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...Wisteria Trees (by Joshua Logan; based on Anton Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard; produced by Mr. Logan & Leland Hayward) converts Chekhov's 19th Century Russian landowners into turn-of-the-century Louisiana gentlefolk. Thereafter there are perhaps as many subtle differences between The Wisteria Trees and The Cherry Orchard as there are obvious resemblances. The difference that matters most: The Wisteria Trees is immeasurably inferior...
...Cherry Orchard" was never received well in Russia because it treats social change so as to provoke sympathy for a fading aristocracy rather than a rising bourgeoisie. In adapting this play to the American scene, Joshua Logan has carried this treatment further by indicating that the new classes were not ready for their new position, and in doing this he transforms a fine naturalistic drama into a less brilliant but still effective picture of social tragedy. In addition he brings back the always welcome Helen Hayes...
...true, of course, that Chekhov's people are also types: Lopakhim, a representative of the rising business class who buys the Cherry Orchard from Larbov, is a type; but in the Russian he is drawn sympathetically, this is not true of the American. Kent Smith follows Logan's transformation faithfully and with assurance...
Many claim for "The Cherry Orchard" first place in modern drama; "The Wisteria Trees" retains a great amount of the intimacy and despair of the original. The agony of social change is sensitively drawn and despite Logan's manhandling of the adaptation, the play remains a good...