Right on cue: John Shepherd Gaev (left) and Stephen Bailey as Yasha in Sutton Amateur Dramatics' production of The Cherry Orchard
For such a seemingly simple play, discourse on The Cherry Orchard could go on ad infinitum. Anton Chekhov's classic tale of a family struggling - and failing - to stop their estate, orchard and all, being auctioned off to a property developer has more layers than your average theatrical onion.
The play is being brought to the Charles Cryer Theatre for a four-night run next week, courtesy of Sutton Amateur Dramatics Club(SADC), with direction from David Page. It was first performed in Moscow in January 1904, shortly before his death, and David explains that it was perhaps ahead of its time.
"At the time, people didn't like it at all, probably because it is not nice, neat, well-made play as they knew it. Bits of the story are vague, but that is what life is like.
"The conversations are very illogical sometimes, they are not beautifully crafted, going from A to B he throws things in and you think, excuse me that's got nothing to do with it. Again, that's what happens in real conversations - people can be listening but thinking of something else entirely and just come straight out with it. But if you look at it as a whole, it works, it adds character.
"It's a little bit like Alan Ayckbourn, where his characters sometimes don't quite connecting properly. It can be very funny. Tragically funny, but funny."
Which brings us onto the discussions as to whether it is a comedy or tragedy. Rather like a Shakespeare like Measure For Measure, this one falls between the two stools, because of Chekhov's abilities, not in spite of. You may not care either way, but it throws up some interesting thoughts.
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David continues: "Chekhov called it a comedy. It is both funny and sad, just as life is. I suspect there is a Russian humour to it - I think that they switch from being happy to sad to happy much and they show their emotions more than we do. So they would probably find more humour in it than us."
However, this is countered by the belief Chekhov's compatriot and revered director Constantin Stanislavski presented The Cherry Orchard as a tragedy on its premiere at Moscow Arts Theatre.
And the ambiguity is not all for the audience. The characters are something of a blank canvas, and leave room to actors to apply their own background and nuances, more than they would be used to.
The Cherry Orchard also touches on issues that we believe to be modern, 21st century pre-occupations. Believe it or not, people were concerned about property developers destroying areas of greenery and beauty before John Prescott was alive. Not to mention Chekhov's commentary on peasant's living conditions, environmental conservation and the swelling of the middle classes.
We could go on - perhaps the only certainty to The Cherry Orchard is that SADC and David are experts in their field, so no matter how they decide to let this play grow, it is bound to be a fruit worth picking.
The Cherry Orchard; Charles Cryer Theatre, 39 High Street, Carshalton, SM5 3BB; Wednesday, March 5 - Saturday, March 8, 7.45pm, £9/£5, suttontheatres.co.uk or call 0208 770 6990.
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