Brian Friel's affinity with Russian writers, notably Chekhov and Turgenev, is central to his work, his seeing similarities between their tragi-comic characters, hanging onto "old certainties" despite knowing in their hearts that their time is up, and his contemporaries in Ireland. The correspondences go beyond theme, of course; he's not known as the Irish Chekhov for nothing.read more
SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 03:59AM on June 11, 2014