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Episode 1

Everyone loves Platonov - but who does he really love? Perhaps it's only himself. Starring David Tennant.

Village schoolmaster Platonov has it all.

He's got wit, intelligence, a comfortable and respectable life in provincial Russia, and the attentions of four beautiful women - one of whom is his devoted wife.

As summer arrives and the seasonal festivities commence, the rapidly intensifying heat makes everyone giddy with sunlight, vodka and passion.

Starring David Tennant.

When Wild Honey was first produced at London's National Theatre in 1984, Ian McKellen played Platonov at the same age as David Tennant is here.

The role is a big show off part and the play is a rumbustious cornucopia of characters and themes covering sexual comedy, morality, melodramatics, the state of contemporary Russia and a hint of tragedy.

The play was discovered in a bank vault in 1920, 16 years after Chekhov's death - with the title page of the play missing, leading to its rather varied history of titles. The original piece was nearly six hours long and Michael Frayn has done a masterful job of turning the work into something quintessentially Chekhovian.

"I love everyone - and everyone loves me. I insult them, I treat them abominably - and they love me just the same!"

Dramatised in two-parts by Michael Frayn.

Platonov ...... David Tennant
Anna Petrovna ...... Sasha Behar
Dr Triletzky ...... Elliot Levey
Sasha ...... Olivia Darnley
Sofya ...... Eva Feiler
Sergey ...... John Hollingworth
Osip ...... Forbes Masson
Colonel Triletzky ...... Rupert Vansittart
Porfiry Semyonovich Glagolyev ...... Christian Rodska
Gerasim Kuzmich Petrin ...... Ben Onwukwe
Marko ...... Nigel Cooke
Marya Yefimovna Grekova ...... Prisca Bakare

Director: Clive Brill

A Brill production for Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4, first broadcast in June 2018.

57 minutes

Last on

Tue 11 Apr 2023 00:00

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Credits

Role Contributor
Dr Triletzky Elliot Levey
Anna Petrovna Sasha Behar
Porfiry Semyonovich Glagolyev Christian Rodska
Sergey John Hollingworth
Colonel Triletzky Rupert Vansittart
Sofya Eva Feiler
Marko Nigel Cooke
Marya Yefimovna Grekova Prisca Bakare
Platonov David Tennant
Sasha Olivia Darnley
Gerasim Kuzmich Petrin Ben Onwukwe
Osip Forbes Masson
Director Clive Brill
Producer Clive Brill
Writer Anton Chekhov
Adaptor Michael Frayn

Broadcasts

  • Sat 16 Jun 2018 14:30
  • Sun 6 Oct 2019 15:00
  • Thu 5 Aug 2021 10:00
  • Thu 5 Aug 2021 15:00
  • Fri 6 Aug 2021 03:00
  • Mon 10 Apr 2023 05:00
  • Mon 10 Apr 2023 10:00
  • Mon 10 Apr 2023 15:00
  • Tue 11 Apr 2023 00:00

Dive into Summer

Dive into Summer

A collection of programmes and features celebrating the Summer months.