‘Three Sisters’ Moves to Cuba

The L.A. Diversified Theater Group’s new adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s “Three Sisters” substitutes the relatively sunny atmosphere of Cuba in the 1930s for Russian angst. Denise Blasor and Newton Kaneshiro’s version features a more brutal contrast between colorful celebrations of life and the smothering of youthful aspirations.

At Los Angeles Theatre Center’s Theatre 4, Irene (Ruth Livier, alternating with Erica Ortega) is beautiful and vivacious--her hair a black cascade of carefully arranged curls. Her older sisters have been battered by regrets--Magda (Blasor) is bored with her fastidious and adoring husband Urbelino (Kaneshiro), and overworked Olga (Maggie Palomo, alternating with Ivonne Coll) wishes for married life. The three sisters are “oppressed” with education, living in “a place where education can be useless” and longing for the fabled Havana of their dreams, where their brother Andres (Valente Rodriguez, alternating with Carlos Mendoza) shall be a professor.

The script at times remains awkwardly Russian, faithful to Chekhov instead of true to a new locale. Gloria Charles’ direction cannot adequately bridge these contradictions. The cheery first act doesn’t flow well into the gloom of the second.

This disjointedness hardly detracts from the main performances. Livier shrinks into a somber bird caged by despair and resignation as she settles for safety instead of love. Kaneshiro’s subtle portrayal of a man’s gentle and generous forgiveness of his wife’s adulterous love is heart-wrenching. Blasor colors Magda’s unfaithfulness with an ugly despair that prevents her desperate cries from slipping into melodrama.

Charles unfortunately allows some cast members to slip into caricature, making the acting uneven. It’s all touching and intriguing, but not quite polished.

* “Three Sisters,” Los Angeles Theatre Center, Theatre 4, 514 S. Spring St. Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Ends June 22. $15. (213) 485-1681. Running time: 3 hours.