Chekhov: Four Plays (Great Translations for Actors Series)

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Summary: Rocamora provides us with the best American Chekhov yet.
Review: Carol Rocamora's translations of Chekhov's four most important plays are, simply, brilliant. These are not adaptations of the plays, but true translations: Rocamora is Chekhovian down to the punctuation. She has made the language contemporary not by translating as if Chekhov were writing now, but by providing the language with a poetic grace that is timeless. Chekhov remains very much a writer of his time and place, and this is as it should be -- we value him because he made the specificities of his time and place universal. Rocamora's translations also fill a gap by giving us Chekhov in American English. Michael Frayn's translations are wonderful, but it is impossible to speak them without an English accent slipping onto your tongue. This edition of translations provides a fascinating introduction by Rocamora, a pronunciation guide, and glossary