Review: The Barnard Theater Department’s ‘The Three Sisters’

Barnard’s production of Anton Chekhov’s “The Three Sisters” was a skillful representation of the play’s main themes, including accomplishing your goals and the importance of family and unity.

Photo by Hunter Canning, provided by the Barnard Theater Department

By Laura Celadon 

March 25, 2025

The Barnard Theater Department’s production of “The Three Sisters” ran from Thursday, November 21 to Saturday, November 23, 2024 in the Minor Latham Playhouse in Milbank Hall. This play was written by Anton Chekhov, translated by Paul Schmidt, and directed by Gisela Cardenas, a Barnard Theatre professor. 

The story follows the lives of three sisters — Olga, Masha, and Irina — and their close friends and family, starting on Irina’s 20th birthday. They reminisce about their time living in Moscow, and it becomes their objective to move back. As the play progresses, the audience watches each sister’s love life and interpersonal relationships become increasingly complicated, changing their attitude towards moving back to Moscow. This leaves the audience wondering if it will interfere with the family’s dream of returning. Will the sisters manage to stick together on their journeys through life? Will they continue living in their current town and regret not leaving?

“‘Three Sisters’ is a play about fantasy and witnessing that fantasy shattered once we become aware of the natural progression of life to its end,” said the director, Gisela Cardenas. Anton Chekhov’s general work focuses on capturing the realistic truth of everyday life, rendering them more pessimistic. Cardenas wanted to focus on this portrayal of realism. “I stand with Chekov in experiencing the natural human progression toward death as a vital clock reminding us of every moment’s uniqueness. We must live aware of the present, aware and connected to others around us,” Cardenas said. 

Following your dreams and accomplishing your goals is a major theme throughout the play. As a viewer, I felt the essence of the reality of human life captured in this performance as I witnessed how the three sisters held on to the idea of moving back to Moscow and how it slowly turned into a fantasy. Cardenas spoke to this idea, saying, “What happens when that dream, the Moscow of our play, becomes an empty prayer that, like a slogan in a commercial, hangs over our present, obliterating the possibility of seeing where we are and how we change?” 

The technical aspects of this play further enhanced the overall performance, especially the set and props. Each set became more detailed than the last, filled with colorful pieces and props, as the actors moved around the stage filling every part of the space. 

In the first act, which focused on Irina’s birthday, the set was filled with balloons and pink decorations, including a reflective backdrop to enhance the idea of celebration. In another scene where a fire is raiding the town, the set was entirely red, with big red letters overhead that spelled out Moscow, reminding the audience of the sisters’ looming dream that becomes less realistic as the play progresses and illustrating the building tensions and conflicts between the characters. The costumes, sound effects, and lighting were also exceptionally done, enriching the overall experience for the audience. 

With the intense themes in this play, adept acting is required, and the cast did not disappoint. The actors clearly took the time to truly understand and impersonate their characters, transforming into them onstage, and they had dynamic chemistry. Their joy, heartache, and anguish were portrayed in a way that felt palpable to the audience. 

An effective directorial choice by Cardenas had the actors make use of spaces even offstage, walking through the aisles between the audience members’ seats, giving the play an engaging element and creating a feeling of inclusion. 

The performance was beautifully executed overall, indicating clear dedication on behalf of the actors and the crew. The cast effectively portrayed Checkhov’s most prominent themes, and it was a profound experience as an audience member. I left the theater reflecting on family values and how impactful support from your community, friends, and family is when it comes to accomplishing your goals. “The Three Sisters” was a reminder that only you limit what you can accomplish, leaving a bittersweet atmosphere in the theater.