Too old to move with the times; too young to let go of their dreams

Village school teacher Platonov is a man who is loved by women. Despite his best intentions he is drawn into a series of extra-marital affairs that all hold the promise of escape from the provincial Russian reality where he and his circle of friends are trapped. Consumed by bitterness and disappointment, they attempt to fill the void in their lives with sex and vodka, blaming their fathers for the mess they've been left in.

Sons Without Fathers is a brand-new version of Chekhov's remarkable first play. Helena Kaut-Howson's version chooses to focus on just one of the many themes covered in the original text - the predicament of a disaffected generation left adrift in a world without hope. Updated to modern-day Russia, the play intertwines the central story with contemporary political issues.

Internationally acclaimed theatre and opera director Helena Kaut-Howson has worked extensively in the UK and Poland, as well as in the USA, Canada, Israel, Ireland and Japan. She has directed over 100 productions, several of which won prestigious awards, and has also ventured into television. From 1992 to 1995 Helena was artistic director of Theatr Clwyd, Wales. Her vision and adventurous policy raised the profile of that theatre to an international league and attracted many major artists, including Anthony Hopkins and Julie Christie. Currently working as a freelance director, she divides her time between the UK and Poland. Helena's work is featured in several radio programmes and in a 60-minute BBC documentary, Breaking the Mold. Parallel with her professional career, Helena pursues her commitment to the training of actors by regularly teaching at LAMDA and RADA, where she is an Associate.