Anton Chekhov, Russian dramatist and short-story writer, was born in 1860, the son of a grocer and the grandson of a serf. After graduating in medicine from Moscow University in 1884, he began to make his name in the theatre with the one-act comedies The Bear, The Proposal and The Wedding. His earliest full-length plays, Ivanov (1887) and The Wood Demon (1889), were not successful, and The Seagull, produced in 1896, was a failure until a triumphant revival by the Moscow Art Theatre in 1898. This was followed by Uncle Vanya (1899), Three Sisters (1901) and The Cherry Orchard (1904), shortly after the production of which Chekhov died. The first English translations of his plays were performed within five years of his death. John Donnelly is a past winner of the Tom Erhardt Award, the PMA Award for Best New Writer and the NSDF Sunday Times Playwriting Award. His plays include The Pass (Royal Court), a version of The Seagull (Headlong/UK Tour), Little Russians (Tricycle Theatre/ First Blast: Proliferation Season), The Knowledge (Bush Theatre), Encourage the Others (Almeida Projects), Songs of Grace and Redemption (Liminal Theatre/Theatre 503), Showtime (LAMDA), Conversation #1 (The Factory/V&A/Latitude Festival) and Bone (Royal Court Theatre). John's work for television includes the short film Henry (Channel 4's Coming Up, 2013) and two episodes of Utopia (co-writer; Kudos/Channel4) and an episode of Glue (Channel 4/Eleven Films), both 2014. Most recently, he adapted his stage play The Pass for screen, produced by Duncan Kenworthy/Toledo Productions and starring Russell Tovey. The Pass was chosen to open the BFI Flare Festival before returning to BFI London Film Festival; it was the opening night film for NewFest and closed Twist: Seattle Queer Film Festival, all 2016.
