Performing arts group transcribe Chekov's 'Three Sisters' with MA students

: Created: 02 April 2019

The MA students have been looking in-depth at Russian author and playwright Anton Chekov’s 1900 masterpiece ‘Three Sisters’ and investigating how the play’s main themes might be brought to life and devised for younger audiences.

The play follows the lives of - you guessed it - three sisters and one brother over a three-year period and is a wonderful study of character, relationships, fulfilment and motivation. It is considered to be amongst the finest of Chekov’s stage plays.

The MA students have even been working on a version to capture the imagination of children as young as five-years old. As part of their research and rollout, they invited students from the College’s Performing Arts (Acting) Level 3 Diploma to visit their postgraduate studios in Sidcup and take part in a range of different activities that included putting live music into various acts within the performances, watching scenes and extracts performed live, as well as getting involved in discussions, analysis and feedback.

Student Jermaine Moke hopes to become a professional actor after completing his training and was among the team taking part. He said: “I loved it. I’m like many people who really wouldn’t have been attracted to a work that dates back to the beginning of the last century - especially one set in deepest, darkest Moscow. It was great to see how the MA students lifted the play’s main themes and characteristics and made them relevant to our very modern, western society. Basically, it symbolises how people can take different pathways in life; staying put, doing as you are told or taking flight and following your heart. Each pathway comes with a different outcome, consequence and impact.”

Fellow actor, Riley Crabb found the visit to be highly beneficial and has taken inspiration from the initiative. He said: “It was truly amazing to see the MA students performing and how they used their musical instruments to create dialogue. This is much more than just musical theatre, it is thought provoking and enlightening. I would really love to take part in a project like this and work with such great people in the future.”

The students were accompanied by their tutor, Sam Punnett. She said: “I’m very proud of how well our students have engaged with the staff and students at Rose Bruford today. I think they have drawn a lot from the experience and come away with a few more ideas and insight that may enable them to perform better as actors or find the inspiration to write great scripts and stage/screenplays themselves."

"Thank you to MA Course Leader, Jeremy Harrison and his fabulous students for the priceless experience they have given our students today and I look forward to working with them again very soon.”

If you think you have what it takes to become a professional performer, dancer, set designer or make-up artist and would like to build a successful career in the theatre or film and TV industries, we’d like to hear from you. We have a great range of courses to get you started. Come along to one of our Open Events.