“Three Sisters” is a play written by Russian writer Anton Chekhov in 1900 that follows the titular sisters going through hardship in an unspecified time period. The play was translated by Madeleine George in 2020, and the university’s Theater Department decided to use this story for their Fall 2023 play.

As you entered the Bucknall Theater from Nov. 15 through Nov. 18, you were provided with a pamphlet that listed the names of everyone who helped bring the play to life.

The pamphlet also provided attendees with a section called “Understand Russian Names and Dramaturgs Note: About Time.” The first part broke down the history and culture of Russian names and urged people to understand the play better. Dramaturgs Note: About Time breaks down the perspective of the dramaturg, a literary editor who works with authors and edits texts, on what the play is about or how it revolves around time. A dramaturg is known as the expert of the play or the person to go to for knowledge on the production.

Sidney Guye, the dramaturg, explained to the audience that the production should move playgoers to constantly question the perception of time. We don’t know what time the play is set and they are constantly bringing up “questions about time, and long philosophical discussions,” because “they each have different ideas on what the reason for life is and how that will translate in the future” as written by Guye.

The stage was made to look like the living room of the sisters’ home, immersing the audience into the lives of the characters.

As everyone waited for the play to start, you could feel the anticipation that had been building up and you could hear people’s excitement toward the production, as the audience clapped and overall enjoyed the story that was being told to them.

As the audience watched, the dedication and hard work became evident. The play transitioned from scene to scene and kept the audience engaged.

The play included songs such as elements of “Akh Vy Seni Moi Seni,” a traditional Russian folk song. While this song was featured, this play was not a musical or based on the songs.

The plotline could have been interpreted in two ways. This was a play about time and whether we are at the place we wished to be. The other is that this was a play about the sister’s perseverance to go back to where they were from aside from all the hardships they had to endure during their time in their current home.