THE pitfalls of putting on Anton Chekov's popular work in its original Russian aren't immediately apparent as a heart-warmingly large audience throngs into Newcastle's newest venue.

But the large stage area provides a testing challenge for on-lookers as the first words of surtitle translation pop up on video screens, one high above and two either side. Suddenly you're playing eyeball tennis to lipsynch words with actions... and some of the acting is so damn good that I routinely 'lost the plot' so to speak.

Cheek By Jowl artistic director Declan Donnellan and designer Nick Ormerod have caught the attention of Russian theatre to such an extent that this co-production was created for Moscow's Chekov International Festival. The all-Russian cast includes Nelly Uvarova, who is Russia's Ugly Betty on TV over there, and Russia's equivalent of Michael Gambon, Igor Yasulovich, as we warm to an authentic creation of the great playwright's work.

Uvarova is youngest sister, Irina, while Evgenia Dmitrieva adds spinster teacher, Olga, and Irina Grineva is two-timing waspish wife, Masha. The trio beautifully decorate this tale of a family fallen on hard times as the parentless sisters seek escape from a dour country town where brother Andrey (Alexei Dadonov) has gambled away their inheritance. Alexander Feklistov captures the charisma of visiting army colonel, Vershinin, who is drawn to Masha. Yasulovich draws the required black humour from Chebutykin, the doctor who decides to get drunk to avoid killing any more of his patients.

And at the back of your mind is that nagging guilt that all 19 in the cast can probably come out and perform the play again in English, while our Russian is nonexistent.

Until Saturday. Box Office: 0191-230-5151

Viv Hardwick