“The Sneeze” Takes to the Stage

The Sneeze, a collection of Anton Chekhov’s comic plays and stories translated and adapted by Michael Frayn, will be presented by College of the Atlantic, in collaboration with the Criterion Theatre, March 4 and 5, 2016.

Chekhov famously declared all of his plays comedies. He also claimed that the only truly worthwhile sort of theatre was the comic vaudeville. Far from trivial, the vividly wrought tumult of The Sneeze showcases Chekhov’s unique brand of scathing humor in a medley of eight vignettes full of timeless absurdity and startling depth.

"The Sneeze," with a cast including, from left, Isabel Hussey, Hana Keegan, Isabel Shaida, and Ursula Ostrander, plays at the Criterion Theatre Friday, March 4 and Saturday, March 5, 2016.

The Sneeze will be performed at the Criterion Theatre Friday, March 4 at 7p.m. and Saturday March 5 at 2p.m. and 7p.m. Admission is free to the public. The Sneeze is produced by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.

Izik Dery stars in The Sneeze, produced and performed by College of the Atlantic.The performance is the culmination of a ten-week course in play production in which students participated in all aspects of staging and mounting a play, exploring dramatic process through practical application and study. The aim of the course was not only to present an imaginative and innovative rendition of Chekhov’s classic comedic sketches but also to create a working company of actors and artists. Each student has taken on a variety of responsibilities and roles within the company, and The Sneeze is the raucous result of their in-depth investigation of Chekhov’s darkly comic sketches.

The Sneeze stars Izik Dery, Kiera O’Brien, Hana Keegan, Isabel Hussey, Isabel Shaida, Maxim Lowe, and Ursula Ostrander.