Sons Without Fathers: (The untitled play, known as Platonov)

Too old to move with the times; too young to let go of their dreams Village school teacher Platonov is a man who is loved by women. Despite his best intentions he is drawn into a series of extra-marital affairs that all hold the promise of escape from the provincial Russian reality where he and his circle of friends are trapped. Consumed by bitterness and disappointment, they attempt to fill the void in their lives with sex and vodka, blaming their fathers for the mess they’ve been left in. Sons Without Fathers is a brand-new version of Chekhov’s remarkable first play. Helena Kaut-Howson's version chooses to focus on just one of the many themes covered in the original text – the predicament of a disaffected generation left adrift in a world without hope. Updated to modern-day Russia, the play intertwines the central story with contemporary political issues.