Excerpt from The Actor’s Chekhov: Nikos Psacharopoulos and the Company of the Williamstown Theatre Festival, on the Plays of Anton Chekhov
Nikos Psacharopoulos:
In a Greek play it’s not that there is a peculiar kind of delivery, it is that somebody’s pain is so great that they cry out: “Oooooooooooh!” rather than “Oh!” ⦠The feeling should be exaggerated in order to meet the form. ⦠Do not try to “show” what you think the play is all about by doing something with your acting that comments on the “form” of the material. Do not try to be poetic with Shakespeare, do not try to be lyrical with Williams, do not try to be expressionistic with Brecht and, please, do not try to be moody with Chekhov!
