Anton Chekhov
A night of…
A triple-bill of Chekhov’s finest shorts.
An evening dedicated to Anton Chekhov’s short masterpieces. This evening featured three of the Russian master's most beloved short plays.
The fiery battle of the sexes in The Bear, the hauntingly beautiful reflections of an aging actor in Swansong, and the frantic chaos of failed romance in The Proposal. From explosive arguments over property and pedigree to quiet moments of theatrical nostalgia, these three masterpieces showcased that, while the world may change, the absurdity of the human heart remains timeless.
‘Twas a night of quick wit, high drama, and the bittersweet humour that only Chekhov can provide!
20th February 2026
19:00
Date
Venue
The Studio Beyond
63 Wood Street L1 4AL
This evening of Chekhov was a special joint venture between Tired Horses Theatre and Off Topic Theatre.
This partnership is born from a shared love of character-driven drama and a desire to explore the messy, hilarious, and heartbreaking realities of the human condition. Together, we are thrilled to bring these Chekhov masterpieces to a modern stage.
Meet the Cast
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Ava Cannon
YELENA IVANOVNA POPOVA - THE BEAR
NATALYA STEPANOVNA - THE PROPOSAL
NIKITA IVANYCH - SWANSONG
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Clayton Travis
LUKA - THE BEAR
IVAN VASILIEVICH LOMOV - THE PROPOSAL
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Joseph Madders
GRIGORY STEPANOVICH SMIRNOV - THE BEAR
VASILY VASILYICH SVETLOVIDOV - SWANSONG
STEPAN STEPANOVICH CHUBUKOV - THE PROPOSAL
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Ava Cannon (She/Her) is a 22 year old actor, theatre maker and clown from the North West. Having trained at the Arden School of Theatre, Ava has a passion for creating physical and verbatim theatre. Ava has worked alongside theatre companies including Ugly Bucket and Tmesis Theatre. Ava is currently assistant directing a production of The Importance Of Being Earnest alongside Off Topic Theatre.
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Clayton Travis (He/Him) is a theatre maker, facilitator and director. As a Liverpool native, he has a particular interest in creating theatre for social change alongside producing engaging productions with Off Topic Theatre. Clayton is a current graduate of LIPA, completing a BA (Hons) in Applied Theatre and Community Drama and has recently begun working for the YMCA as a youth worker.
Recent directing credits include: Treasure Island, Breezeblock Park and The Tempest.
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Joseph Madders (He/Him) is an North-West Actor, Director and Playwright now based in Scotland. He studied Theatre Studies and Philosophy at The University of Glasgow, where he also Mastered in Feminist Philosophy.
As a performer Joseph has treaded many boards, notably, Liverpool's Royal Court and Glasgow's Citizens Theatre. He has played numerous roles up and down the North-West, from Sweeney Todd, to Mercutio, to Cain in The Chester Mystery Plays.
Joseph authored Tired Horses own Malion which debuted at the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe.
THE bEAR
Swansong
THE PROPOSAL
