Since the first British production of Anton Chekhov's play The Seagull in 1909, audiences have found the Russian's plays both beguiling and frustrating in seemingly equal measure. After living in Britain some years, Russian translator Elisaveta Fen began to recognize the problem: These plays are tragi-comedies: they are the stuff life is made of. They do not fit into any conventional category. Awkwardly presented, they can disappoint, baffle, irritate, or they can cast their spell over the spectator and make him feel he is watching real people, living real lives—on the stage.

中文翻译：

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“‘另一个俄罗斯’的一瞥”：Elisaveta Fen 的契诃夫译本

自从第一部英国制作安东契诃夫的戏剧以来海鸥在 1909 年，观众发现俄罗斯的戏剧在看似同等程度上既迷人又令人沮丧。在英国生活了几年之后，俄语翻译 Elisaveta Fen 开始意识到这个问题：这些戏剧是悲喜剧：它们是构成生活的素材。它们不属于任何常规类别。尴尬的呈现，他们可能会让人失望、困惑、恼火，或者他们可以对观众施展魔法，让他觉得他在看真实的人，在舞台上过着真实的生活。