Anna Karenina
Chichester Festival Theatre
Sat 7 – Sat 28 Jun 2025
The Chichester Festival Theatre’s latest production immerses the audience in a richly woven tapestry of love, betrayal and societal constraints, set against the backdrop of late nineteenth century Russia. Phillip Breen both adaptor and director first staged this epic Tolstoy novel in Tokyo in Japanese and he has brought along two of the original musicians, enhancing its emotional resonance.
The play spans three tumultuous years in Anna’s life illustrating her struggles against a stifling and loveless marriage. She is beautifully portrayed by Natalie Dormer (Game of Thrones) as she dares to defy society’s expectations by embarking on a passionate affair with the charming Vronsky. Dormer captures Anna’s descent into paranoia and despair as she grapples with the consequences of her choices. A heart-wrenching performance that stands out amongst an impressive cast. Running alongside are the intersecting narratives of two couples Dolly and Stiva and Levin and Kitty showing the complexities of love and the harsh realities of a patriarchal society. Jonnie Broadbent shines as the jovial yet irresponsible Stiva and Ivan Ivashkin delivers a poignant performance as Nikolai. Naomi Sheldon embodies Dolly’s weariness from constant childbearing and David Oakes in the role of Levin reflects on his yearning for a meaningful life against a backdrop of turmoil
The technical team excel with some visionally stunning lighting effects and elegant period costumes. However, the immensely cluttered set design can become overwhelming particularly with a large ensemble cast that creates a cacophony of movement and noise on stage making it quite challenging to watch.
Overall, the adaptation is a compelling exploration of infidelity, joy and the darker sides of love. The emotional depth of Anna Karenina attests to the enduring relevance of Tolstoy’s works.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Reviewer: Jill Lawrie
Cast
Natalie Dormer: Anna Karenina,
Donna Berlin as Countess Vronskaya,
Jonnie Broadbent as Stiva,
Les Dennis as Petka,
Seamus Dillane as Vronsky,
Florence Dobson as Marya,
Tomiwa Edun as Karenin,
Sandy Foster as Countess Lydia,
Ivan Ivashkin as Nikolai,
Shalisha James-Davis as Kitty,
Anne Lacey as Agafya,
Marcia Lecky as Princess Shcherbatskya,
David Oakes as Levin,
John Ramm as Prince Shcherbatsky,
Riad Richie as Titus, and
Naomi Sheldon as Dolly.