: Ivan Turgenev
: Three Days in the Country An Unfaithful Version
: Faber& Faber
: 9780571327713
: 1
: CHF 8.50
:
: Theater, Ballett: Allgemeines, Nachschlagewerke
: English
: 96
: Wasserzeichen
: PC/MAC/eReader/Tablet
: ePUB
A handsome new tutor brings reckless, romantic desire to an eccentric household. Over three days one summer the young and the old will learn lessons in love: first love and forbidden love, maternal love and platonic love, ridiculous love and last love. The love left unsaid and the love which must out. Ivan Turgenev's passionate, moving comedy, A Month in the Country, has been a source of inspiration for films, a ballet and the plays of Chekhov. Patrick Marber's Three Days in the Country premiered at the National Theatre, London, in June 2015 in association with Sonia Friedman Productions.

Born in Orel in central Russia in 1818 Ivan Turgenev studied at the universities in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Berlin and worked briefly for the civil service before turning to writing. He wrote several novels that examined the social, political and philosophical issues of the time as well as many plays and short stories. Living mainly in Baden-Baden and Paris Turgenev was acquainted with a variety of influential writers and met Dickens and Trollope among others on his travels to England. He was widely perceived to be the first major Russian writer to achieve great success in Europe. Turgenev died in Paris in 1883.

The drawing room. Late afternoon.

Schaaf, Anna and Lizaveta at a baize table playing cards.

Natalya lies on a sofa, reading a novel. Rakitin watches her.

Rakitin You haven’t turned a page for ten minutes.

Natalya I’m a slow reader.

Rakitin No you’re not.

Natalya turns a page, continues to read. Rakitin watches.

Schaaf Hearts!

Anna Again?

Schaaf Yes. I have the hearts.

Anna You’re a lucky old devil.

Lizaveta Our pain is his pleasure.

Schaaf Play, good ladies.

Anna Be warned, Professor, you’ll scare us off.

Schaaf lays a card down, takes the trick.

Lizaveta He’s a demon!

Schaaf It is only money.

Lizaveta writes down the score in a small notebook. Schaaf shuffles the cards and they continue to play.

Natalya Must you stand there?

Rakitin I’m your guest, you invited me here! You summoned me, three days ago.

Back at the card table:

Schaaf Hearts!

Anna Not again?

Lizaveta His luck is both disturbing and suspicious.

Anna (to Natalya) Natasha, sevens and eights are pouring out of him!

Lizaveta He bleeds hearts!

Natalya You lose every day – stop playing with him!

Schaaf No! They like to suffer, it is a peculiarity of the female.

Their game continues.

Natalya (to Rakitin) Did you see my husband?

Rakitin He’s down at the weir. He was explaining a seemingly complicated detail to the workmen. To clarify his point he waded in, right up to his waist.

Natalya Well, he does like to slosh about.

Rakitin The men were astonished.

Anna Where’s Kolya?

Schaaf Where indeed? The boy is late for my tutorial.

Lizaveta Late? That’s odd; helives for his German lessons.

Natalya They went for a walk. He’ll be back.

Schaaf (<