The production
Life in Questions and Exclamations is a selection of Chekhov's early short stories, staged by InterLUDI Theatre Studio under director Dmitry Turchaninov, with Ludmila Perlova as executive producer. The company describes the evening as humour, irony and absurdity, in what it calls the true Chekhovian spirit: brevity and humour.
The performance is in Russian with English surtitles and runs for about 90 minutes without an interval, so it works both for Russian speakers and for anyone meeting Chekhov in English.
Dates, times and venues
| Date | Venue | 15:30 | 19:00 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday 15 November 2026 | Beth Shalom Reform Synagogue, Auckland Road, Cambridge CB5 8DW | Cast A | Cast B |
| Sunday 22 November 2026 | Meadows Community Centre, 299 Arbury Road, Cambridge CB4 2JL | Cast A | Cast B |
Each day has two shows with two different casts, who give the same material two separate readings. Anyone who wants to compare them can stay for both: the box office offers a discounted Two-Show Pass at checkout.
Why early Chekhov
Before the plays that made him famous, Chekhov wrote hundreds of short comic pieces. He started in the early 1880s, while studying medicine in Moscow, writing for humorous magazines and often signing as Antosha Chekhonte. The sketches are quick, sharp and often absurd, and many of the people in them later grow into the characters of his mature stories and plays.
That is what makes this kind of evening a good way in. You do not need to know The Seagull or The Cherry Orchard. The stories are short enough to be staged as a sequence, and the humour carries across the surtitles.
The director
Creativity's UK spoke to Dmitry Turchaninov in 2024, before his production of Maria Lado's play Very Simple Story: read the interview. He told the magazine that theatre should bring people joy, which fits a programme of comic Chekhov.
Why we highlight it
Cambridge has a large international community, and evenings like this one are where it meets the rest of the city: a classic author, a local company, a community venue and surtitles that let everyone follow. It is also an easy Sunday plan for members who want something cultural without a trip to London.
More in the calendar: the Cambridge Film Festival and the guide to theatre in Cambridge. To meet other members, join our Saturday meetup.
Questions
What language is the performance in?
Russian, with English surtitles.
How long is it?
About 90 minutes, with no interval.
Is the 15:30 show the same as the 19:00 show?
The material is the same, but the casts are different: Cast A plays at 15:30 and Cast B at 19:00 on both days.
Where do I buy tickets?
On the company's TicketSource page. Prices and availability are shown there, along with the Two-Show Pass.
Sources (checked 14 October 2026):
- TicketSource, InterLUDI Theatre Studio: dates, times, venues, casts, language, running time, Two-Show Pass, director and executive producer
- Poster supplied by the organisers: venue addresses
- Creativity's UK, interview with Dmitry Turchaninov, 27 November 2024