This was an exercise in abridging a major piece of work. I have tried to capture the essence of the original but the result is really only of academic interest.

THE CHERRY ORCHARD
by
Anton Checkhov
abridged and modified by David Muncaster 

CHARACTERS

LUBOV ANDREYEVNA RANEVSKY, a landowner
ANYA, her daughter, aged seventeen
VARYA, her adopted daughter, aged twenty-seven
LOPAKHIN, a merchant

Scene 1

(Russia at the turn of the twentieth century. All the action takes place in a room of the manor house on Mme. Ranevsky's estate.  LOPAKHIN sleeps In a chair. Enter LUBOV, ANYA, and VARYA.)

ANYA. Let's come through here. Do you remember this room mother?
LUBOV. (Joyfully) The nursery!
LOPAKHIN. (Startled) I meant to meet you at the station. Where is the housemaid? She should have woken me.
VARYA. How cold it is! My hands are quite numb.
LUBOV. My dear nursery, oh, you beautiful room. ... I used to sleep here when I was a baby. And here I am like a little girl again. (She exits, exploring her house. LOPAKHIN follows her out)
ANYA. I didn't get any sleep for four nights on the journey. ... I'm awfully cold. (Pause.) It is as if I'd never gone away. I'm at home!
VARYA. Home again. (Kisses her) My darling is back again!
ANYA. I did have an awful time, I tell you.
VARYA. I can just imagine it!
ANYA. Paris! My French is perfectly horribly. And when I find mother she is in her fifth floor apartment with various French men and women, the air is thick with tobacco smoke and there is no comfort at all. I felt so sorry for mother that I took her head in my arms and hugged her and wouldn't let her go. Then mother started hugging me and crying. ...
VARYA. Don't say any more, don't say any more. I can't bear to imagine her suffer. God knows what would have become of me had she not adopted me.
ANYA. She's already sold her villa near Mentone; she's nothing left, nothing. And I haven't a copeck left either; we only just managed to get here. And mother won't understand! We had dinner at a station; she asked for all the expensive things, and tipped the waiters one rouble each. How's business? Has the interest been paid?
VARYA. Not much chance of that.
ANYA. Oh God, oh God ...
VARYA. The place will be sold in August.
ANYA. O God.
LOPAKHIN. (Looks in at the door and moos) Moo! (He exits.)
VARYA. (Angrily) Oh I'd like to…
ANYA. Has he proposed to you?
VARYA. Everybody talks about our marriage, everybody congratulates me, and there's nothing in it at all, nothing at all.
ANYA. (Thoughtfully) How I understand Mother. Father died six years ago, and a month later my brother Grisha was drowned in the river--such a dear little boy of seven! Mother couldn't bear it; she went away, away, without looking round. ... (Shudders) How I understand her; if only she knew!

(Enter LUBOV ANDREYEVNA and LOPAKHIN)

LUBOV. Let me remember now. Red into the corner! Twice into the centre!
LOPAKHIN. Right into the pocket!
VARYA. (Sighs) I'll go and see if they've brought in all the luggage. (She exits.)
LUBOV. Is it really I who am sitting here? (Laughs) I want to jump about and wave my arms. I love my own country, I love it deeply; I couldn't look out of the railway carriage, I cried so much.
LOPAKHIN. Look at you. You're as fine-looking as ever; dressed in Paris fashions. Lubov, I do wish you would believe in me as you once did, I wish that your wonderful, touching eyes would look at me as they did before. I love you as though you were family.. and even more.
LUBOV. I can't sit still, I'm not in a state to do it. (Jumps up and walks about in great excitement) You can laugh at me; I'm a silly woman. ... My dear little cupboard. (Kisses cupboard) My little table.
LOPAKHIN. I have something important to say to you. As you already know, your cherry orchard is to be sold just to pay your off debts, and the sale is fixed for August 22; but you needn't be alarmed, dear madam, you may sleep in peace; there's a way out. Here's my plan. Please listen carefully! Your estate is only thirteen miles from the town, the railway runs by, and if the cherry orchard and the land by the river are broken up into building lots and are then leased off for villas you'll get at least twenty-five thousand roubles a year profit out of it.
LUBOV. I don't understand.
LOPAKHIN. You will get twenty-five roubles a year for each plot from the leaseholders at the very least, and if you advertise now I'm willing to bet that you won't have a vacant plot left by the autumn; they'll all go. In a word, you're saved. I congratulate you. Only, of course, you'll have to pull down all the old buildings, this house, which isn't any use to anybody now, and cut down the old cherry orchard. ...
LUBOV. Cut it down? My dear man, you must excuse me, but you don't understand anything at all. If there's anything interesting or remarkable in the whole province, it's this cherry orchard of ours.
LOPAKHIN. The only remarkable thing about the orchard is that it's very large. It only bears fruit every other year, and even then you don't know what to do with them; nobody buys any cherries.
LUBOV. This orchard is mentioned in the "Encyclopaedic Dictionary."
LOPAKHIN. If we can't think of anything and don't make up our minds to anything, then on August 22, both the cherry orchard and the whole estate will be up for auction. Make up your mind! I swear there's no other way out. All towns even small ones, are now surrounded by villas each with patch of land to be cultivated and so, in time, your cherry orchard will be happy, rich, splendid. ...

(Enter VARYA.)

VARYA. There are two telegrams for you, mother.
LUBOV. (Taking them) They're from Paris. ... (Tears them up without reading them) I've done with Paris.
LOPAKHIN. If you make up your mind about the villas, then just let me know, and I'll raise a loan of 50,000 roubles at once. Think about it seriously. We need coffee.
VARYA. (Angrily) Then go and get some
LOPAKHIN. I'm going, I'm going. ... (He exits.)
VARYA. What has he been saying?
LUBOV. He's a good man.
ANYA (Opens a  window) The whole garden's white.
LUBOV. (Looks out into the garden) Oh, my childhood, my days of my innocence! In this nursery I used to sleep; I used to look out from here into the orchard. Happiness used to wake with me every morning, and then it was just as it is now; nothing has changed. It's all, all white! Oh, my orchard!
ANYA. Yes, and they'll sell this orchard to pay off debts.
VARYA. If only God would help us.
ANYA. If Lopakhin can arrange a loan we can use it to pay the interest on our debts.
VARYA (Brightening) Mother will have a talk to Lopakhin but he won't refuse... then we'll be safe. We'll pay up the interest. I'm certain
.
(LOPAKHIN enters)

LOPAKHIN. No sign of the housemaid. Lubov, you must make up your mind definitely--there's no time to waste. The question is perfectly plain. Are you willing to let the land for villas or no? Just one word, yes or no? Just one word!
LUBOV. Has someone been smoking horrible cigars in here?
LOPAKHIN. They built that railway; that's made this place very handy.
LUBOV. Red in the middle! I'd should like to have a game right now.
LOPAKHIN. Just one word! (Imploringly) Give me an answer!
LUBOV. (Looks in her purse) I had a lot of money yesterday, but there's very little to-day. My poor Varya feeds everybody on milk soup to save money, in the kitchen the old people only get peas, and I spend recklessly in the station restaurant. (Drops the purse, scattering gold coins) There, they are all over the place.
VARYA. Permit me to pick them up. (Collects the coins.)
LOPAKHIN. That rich man Deriganov is preparing to buy your estate. They say he'll come to the sale himself.
LUBOV. Where did you hear that?
LOPAKHIN. They say so in town.
VARYA. Our Yaroslav aunt has promised to send something, but I don't know when or how much.
LOPAKHIN. How much will she send? A hundred thousand roubles? Or two, perhaps?
LUBOV. I'd be glad of ten or fifteen thousand.
LOPAKHIN. You must excuse my saying so, but I've never met such frivolous people as you before, or anybody so unbusinesslike and peculiar. Here I am telling you in plain language that your estate will be sold, and you don't seem to understand.
VARYA. There must be someone who can help us.
LUBOV. My pretty ones. Leave us a moment (ANYA and VARYA exchange glances but obey and exit) What are we to do? Tell us, what?
LOPAKHIN. The same thing again. I say the same thing over and over. Both the cherry orchard and the land must be leased off for villas and at once, immediately--the auction is staring you in the face: Understand! Once you make up your minds you'll have as much money as you want and you'll be saved.
LUBOV. Villas and villa residents--it's so vulgar.
LOPAKHIN. You're too much for me! I love you like my mother but infuriate me so. (Going out.)
LUBOV. No, don't go. Please. Perhaps we'll find some way out!
LOPAKHIN. What's the good of trying to think!
LUBOV. Please don't go. I keep on waiting for something to happen, as if the house is going to collapse over our heads. I have been too sinful. ...
LOPAKHIN. Sins? What sins have you committed?
LUBOV. Oh, my sins. ... I've always scattered money about without holding myself in, like a madwoman, and I married a man who made nothing but debts. My husband died of champagne--he drank terribly. Then I fell in love with another man and went off with him, and just at that time--it was my first punishment, a blow that hit me right on the head-- my boy was drowned in the river on the estate.  Then I bought a villa near Mentone because my lover fell ill there, and for three years I knew no rest either by day or night; he wore me out, and my soul dried up. And last year, when they had sold the villa to pay my debts, I went away to Paris, and there he robbed me of all I had and went off with another woman. I tried to poison myself. ... It was so silly, so shameful. ... And suddenly I longed to be back in Russia, my own land, with my little girl. ... (Wipes her tears) Lord, Lord be merciful to me, forgive me my sins! Punish me no more! (Pause as she composes herself) He sends me telegrams... He begs my forgiveness, he implores me to return. ... What a grey life we lead. What a lot of unnecessary talk.
LOPAKHIN. It's true. To speak the straight truth, we live a silly life. (Pause) My father was a peasant, an idiot, he understood nothing, he didn't teach me, he was always drunk, and always used a stick on me. In point of fact, I'm a fool and an idiot too. I've never learned anything, my handwriting is bad, so bad that I am ashamed for people to see it.
LUBOV. You ought to get married, my friend.
LOPAKHIN. Yes ... that's true.
LUBOV. Why not to our Varya? She's a nice girl.
LOPAKHIN. Yes.
LUBOV. She's quite homely in her ways, works all day, and, what matters most, she's in love with you. And you've liked her for a long time.
LOPAKHIN. Well? I don't mind ... she's a nice girl.

(VARYA  enters)

VARYA. Dunyasha is in the kitchen. Go and fetch the coffee will you?
LOPAKHIN. Why doesn't she bring it herself?
VARYA. Because I said you would come! (LOPAKHIN exits)
LUBOV. You have him taught Varya! You can marry Lopakhin if you want, he's a good, interesting man. ... You needn't if you don't want to; nobody wants to force you against your will, my darling.
VARYA. I do look at the matter seriously, mother, to be quite frank. But he makes me so angry! And yet. Yet he's a good man, and I do like him.
LUBOV. Then marry him. I don't understand what you're waiting for.
VARYA. I can't propose to him myself, mother. People have been talking about him and me for two years now, but he either says nothing, or jokes about it. I understand. He's getting rich, he's busy, he can't bother about me.

(ANYA enters with a coffee pot)

ANYA. (Nearly laughing) Lopakhin's broken a billiard cue!
VARYA. What Is he doing playing billiards? I don't understand people. (Exit.)
ANYA. Did you want coffee?
LUBOV. I was born here, my father and mother lived here, my grandfather too, I love this house. I couldn't understand my life without that cherry orchard, and if it really must be sold, sell me with it! (Embraces ANYA,). My son was drowned here. ... (Weeps) God have pity on me.
ANYA. You know I love you with all my soul.
LUBOV. (Picks up some scraps of the telegram) This telegram's from Paris. He sends one every day. He is ill again. He begs for forgiveness, and implores me to come, and I really ought to go to Paris to be near him. You look severe, Anya, but what can I do, my dear, what can I do; he's ill, he's alone, unhappy, and who's to look after him, who's to keep him away from his errors, to give him his medicine punctually? And why should I conceal it and say nothing about it; I love him, that's plain, I love him, I love him. ... That love is a stone round my neck; I'm going with it to the bottom, but I love that stone and can't live without it. Don't think badly of me, Anya, don't say anything to me, don't say ...
ANYA. (Weeping) For God's sake forgive my speaking candidly, but that man has robbed you!
LUBOV. No, no, no, you oughtn't to say that! (Stops her ears.)
ANYA. But he's a wretch, you alone don't know it! He's a petty thief, a nobody. ...
LUBOV. (Angry, but restrained) You don't understand those who love.
ANYA. If you go to Paris again, then please take me with you.

(VARYA and LOPAKHIN enter)

VARYA. You play billiards and break a cue, and walk about the drawing-room as if you were at home.
LOPAKHIN. I'll pay for any damage.
LUBOV. I wouldn't hear of it.
LOPAKHIN. As you wish.
LUBOV. I would be honoured if you were to treat this house as your own.
LOPAKHIN. I'm so happy to hear you say so.
LUBOV. You are almost one of the family.
LOPAKHIN. Almost.
LUBOV. I should like you to be here all the time
LOPAKHIN. That might be possible.
ANYA. Could it?
LOPAKHIN. I have some reserves. There is time to arrange things before the auction.
ANYA. You mean.
LOPAKHIN. We shall have to see.
VARYA. Are you serious?
LOPAKHIN. Absolutely.
VARYA. Praise be to God.
LUBOV. (Weeping) Thank you God. Thank you.

Scene 2

There are no curtains on the windows, no pictures; only a few pieces of furniture are left; they are piled up in a corner as if for sale. The emptiness is felt. By the door that leads out of the house and at the back of the stage, portmanteaux and travelling paraphernalia are piled up. LUBOV sits weeping in a chair. ANYA enters

ANYA. Mother! mother, are you crying? My dear, kind, good mother, my beautiful mother, I love you! Bless you! The cherry orchard is sold, we've got it no longer, it's true, true, but don't cry mother, you've still got your life before you, you've still your beautiful pure soul ... Come with me, come, dear, away from here, come! We'll plant a new garden, finer than this, and you'll see it, and you'll understand, and deep joy, gentle joy will sink into your soul, like the evening sun, and you'll smile, mother! You'll smile again.

LOPAKHIN enters holding a champagne bottle and glasses.

LOPAKHIN. Please, I ask you most humbly! Just a little glass to say good-bye. I didn't remember to bring any from town and I only found one bottle at the station. Please, do! (Pause) Won't you really have any?
Why do you treat me so? I bought it! Yes I bought the cherry orchard  but you never let me tell the whole story. When I got to the sale, Deriganov was there already. Leonid Andreyevitch had only fifteen thousand roubles, and Deriganov offered thirty thousand on top of the mortgage to begin with. I saw how matters were, so I grabbed hold of him and bid forty. He went up to forty-five, I offered fifty-five. That means he went up by fives and I went up by tens. ... Well, it came to an end. I bid ninety more than the mortgage; and it stayed with me. My God. The cherry orchard is mine! If my father and grandfather rose from their graves and looked at the whole affair, and saw how their Lopakhin, their beaten and uneducated Lopakhin, who used to run barefoot in the winter, how that very Looakhin has bought an estate, which is the most beautiful thing in the world! I've bought the estate where my grandfather and my father were slaves, where they weren't even allowed into the kitchen. I can hardly believe it! (LUBOV weeps again) Why then, why didn't you take my advice? My poor, dear woman, you can't go back now. (emotionally) Oh, if only the whole thing was done with, if only our uneven, unhappy life were changed!

(ANYA takes her mother out of the room)

LOPAKHIN. Eight roubles a bottle. (He crosses to the window. The sound of trees being cut down is heard VARYA enters) Ah! Share my champagne?
VARYA. Do we have cause for celebration?
LOPAKHIN. Yes! Why not? Not everything is settled yet.
VARYA. That is for you to say.
ANYA. (At the door) Mother asks if you will stop them cutting down the orchard until she has gone away.
VARYA. Yes, really, you ought to have enough tact not to do that.
LOPAKHIN, All right, all right ... yes, your right. (He exits.)
VARYA. You look radiant, your eyes flash like two jewels! Are you happy?
ANYA. Very! A new life is beginning, sister! Everything's all right now. Before the cherry orchard was sold we suffered, but then, when the question was solved once and for all, and we all calmed down, why not be cheerful?
VARYA. Still I don't know where I stand.
ANYA. With Lopakhin? (VARYA nods) You still want him?
VARYA. If he asked, still I would say yes.
ANYA. Quick! Go! He comes.

VARYA exits almost colliding with LOPAKHIN as he enters

LOPAKHIN. They are silenced.
ANYA. I am so worried about Varya. She's used to getting up early and to work, and now she's no work to do she's like a fish out of water. She's grown thin and pale, and she cries, poor thing. ... (Pause) You know very well, Lopakhin, that Mother used to hope to marry her to you? I suppose you are going to marry somebody else? (Pause) She loves you, she's your sort, and I don't understand, I really don't, why you seem to be keeping away from each other. I don't understand!
LOPAKHIN. To tell the truth, I don't understand it myself ... If there's still time, I'll be ready at once ... Let's get it over, once and for all;
ANYA. Excellent. It'll only take a minute. I'll call her.
LOPAKHIN. The champagne's very appropriate.
ANYA. I'll fetch her.
LOPAKHIN. (Looks at his watch) Yes.

ANYA exits. There is an excited yelp of stage then VARYA enters. She looks at LOPAKHIN for a moment. Neither speak. Finally VARYA turns to the luggage.

VARYA. (Looking at the luggage in silence) I can't seem to find it. ...
LOPAKHIN. What are you looking for?
VARYA. I packed it myself and I don't remember.
LOPAKHIN. (After a pause.) Where are you going to now?
VARYA. Me? To the Ragulins. ... I've got an agreement to go and look after their house ... as housekeeper or something.
LOPAKHIN. Is that at Yashnevo? It's about fifty miles. (Pause) So life in this house is finished now. ...
VARYA. (Looking at the luggage) Where is it? ... perhaps I've put it away in the trunk. ... Yes, there'll be no more life in this house. ...
LOPAKHIN. And I'm off to Kharkov at once. Till the spring. …I've a lot of business on hand.
VARYA. Well, well!
LOPAKHIN. Last year at this time the snow was already falling, if you remember, and now it's nice and sunny. Only it's rather cold. ... There's three degrees of frost.
VARYA. I didn't look. (Pause) And our thermometer's broken. ... (Pause.) I think I just heard my name called. Did you hear? (He exits)

VARYA, sitting on the floor, puts her face in her hands and weeps gently. The door opens. LUBOV enters carefully.

LUBOV. Well? (Pause) We must go.
VARYA. (Not crying now, wipes her eyes) Yes, it's quite time, little mother. I'll get to the Ragulins to-day, if I don't miss the train. ...
LUBOV. (At the door) Anya, put on your things.
ANYA. (entering, happy) Away! (She notices VARYA) Oh no!
LUBOV. It's as if I'd never really noticed what the walls and ceilings of this house were like, and now I look at them greedily, with such tender love. ... (Pause. LOPAKHIN enters) Have all the things been taken away?
LOPAKHIN. Yes, I think so. Red into the corner! Sorry.
LUBOV. We go away, and not a soul remains behind.
LOPAKHIN. Till the spring.
LUBOV. Let's go!
LOPAKHIN. Are you all here? There's nobody else? I must lock them up.
ANYA. Good-bye, home! Good-bye, old life! (She Exits. VARYA looks round the room and goes out slowly.)
LOPAKHIN. Till the spring, then! (He Exits.)
LUBOV. My dear, my gentle, beautiful orchard! My life, my youth, my happiness, good-bye! Good-bye!
ANYA (Off) Mother!
LUBOV. I'm coming! (She exits)

(The stage is empty. The sound of keys being turned in the locks is heard, and then the noise of a carriage going away. It is quiet. Then the sound of an axe against the trees is heard in the silence sadly and by itself.)

Curtain.