”The Actor is the theatre.” Michael Chekhov

The Chekhov Collective was formed in 2013 by a group of professional actors wanting to put the actor and the ensemble at the centre of the creative process. The company is inspired by the acting techniques of Michael Chekhov and is under the artistic leadership of Rena Polley.

During the pandemic, when theatres were closed, The Chekhov Collective created a small piece to be viewed at home. Combining improvisation with elements of the Michael Chekhov technique, From A Distance is 10 brief scenes exploring how a couple grapples with different ways of responding to the pandemic.

We kept it simple. We recorded it on Zoom, each in our separate homes, each scene improvised.

We hope From A Distance captures a moment in this historic time, and on a medium that will forever be associated with the pandemic.