January 2007
A Bear With A Sore Head Play Review
Monday, January 01, 2007 by Charles Vance

A new English version of Anton Chekhov’s farce The Bear

by Brian J Burton

Hanbury Plays ISBN: 185205 077 2 £3.55

(1m 2f) Rights: Hanbury Plays

After the death of her husband, a young widow, Elaina Popov vows never to leave the house and to wear mourning for the rest of her life. A somewhat boorish, middle-aged landowner calls and demands payment of a debt incurred by the widow’s husband. A verbal battle follows until the landowner challenges the widow to a duel….but the scenario changes when our courageous widow accepts the challenge.

This is an entirely new English language version of the classic farce and it follows the original story very closely. But the adapter is at pains to spell out that it is his intention not to provide a more accurate literal translation from the original Russian, but rather it is an attempt to present the play by means of a more modern treatment and dialogue in a style more acceptable to present day audiences.