by William Gerhardi
Anton Chekhov was born, according to the Old Style Russian calendar, a hundred years ago today. Traditionally, England has done more to further his name as a great dramatist than any country outside Russia. Mr. Gerhardi describes the first night of The Cherry Orchard and the death of Chekhov. He sees Chekhov's writing as the 'literature of duration.' Nothing passes. Action is merely a mechanical contrivance to release 'the unpassing moment.'