P451 Teletext 451 Jun21 01:28:55 REVIEW —————————————— ——————————— — THE WOOD DEMON The Playhouse, London The West End's sudden appetite for straight plays is furthjt confirmed by the arrival of this little-known Chekhov play. This is its West End premiere, 108 years after Chekhov wrote it as a favour for a producer friend in urgent need of a new play. There's a good reason for its low profile. Not because it's a turkey, but rathjt that Chekhov rewrote it seven years later as his masterpiece Uncle Vanza. ——————————————————————————————————1/3—— By Nick Smurthwaite YOUR LOCAL SUMMER EVENTS GUIDE p445 West End A-H I-N O-Z Full guideP451 Teletext 451 Jun21 01:33:11 REVIEW —————————————— ——————————— — THE WOOD DEMON The Playhouse, London In many ways, this play is easier to enjoy than Chekhov's Uncle Vanya as it is funnier, lighter and more exuberant. It even has a happy ending. We find ourselves in the company of a bunch of bored sophisticates on a country estate, harbouring romantic fantasies and rubbing each othjt up the wrong way. 'hat makes it different from the better known plays is its youthfulness and zest. ——————————————————————————————————2/3—— On Stage index 450 Events 440 WHAT'S ON AT THE MOVIES? p460 West End A-H I-N O-Z Full guideP451 Teletext 451 Jun21 01:34:07 REVIEW —————————————— ——————————— — THE WOOD DEMON The Playhouse, London The play begins with a birthday party where the petty rivalries, squabbles and frustrations bubble beneath the surface at a jolly family gathering. It takes a while to tune in to the complicated network of family ties and neighbourhood history, not to mention those pet names the Russians go in for. But once director Anthony Clark has drawn you into this claustrophobic world of pent-up emotions and thwarted dreams, you can only sit back and enjoy ——————————————————————————————————3/3—— Comedy 457 Music News 481 IT'S YOUR LIFE! INDEX p410 West End A-H I-N O-Z Full guide