The Darling by Anton Chekhov is presented by The Chekhov Collective as part of their Page to Stage: Theatrical Readings of literary works.

Performed by: Susan Coyne, Nancy Palk, David Storch
Directed by: Rena Polley
Presented by The Chekhov Collective

In this short story, Chekhov gives us a glimpse into the unadorned ordinariness of Olenka Semyonovna, a young woman who blindly devotes herself to the men in her life, molding her personality to suit their interest and opinions.

Considered one of his finest short stories, Leo Tolstoy compared The Darling’ to ‘a piece of lace’, like those woven by ‘old maids,’ who ‘put their whole life, all their dreams of happiness, into their lace.’

At first glimpse The Darling may seem slight, but a hundred years later critics continue to debate if Olenka is an object of ridicule, pity or admiration.