ABSTRACT
The reception of classic Russian drama in China bespeaks the complex dynamics between texts, contexts, and intertexts inevitably entailed in such transcultural endeavors. The relative success of Ostrovsky, Gorky, and Gogol on the Chinese stage can be attributed to the fact that through imaginative relocation and reinterpretation by the Chinese theatre artists they can speak directly to the sociopolitical, economic, and emotive realities of China, and appeal to the Chinese both topically and artistically. Success with Chekhov, however, has been elusive because Chekhov’s brand of drama presents an “artless” stream-of-ordinaries of daily life that tends to leave many unengaged or confused.
