For a long time, theater directors made no effort to preserve the humor in Anton Chekhov’s final drama, The Cherry Orchard. They preferred to stick to the tragedy side of tragicomedy. But Benedict Andrews is bringing back the play’s rowdy, funny spirit. In his version, the lights never dim and the cast is always visible, sitting on chairs in the front row of the auditorium when not on stage. What’s more, the characters swear, vape, and break the fourth wall, addressing audience members directly. The story remains the same: A Russian aristocrat returns home from her Parisian escapades, only to find that her family is in severe financial trouble and may have to sell its estate. “It is devastating when it comes,” writes The Guardian’s chief critic, Arifa Akbar, “but then the tone shifts again, hitting every beat of Chekhov’s blend of light and dark.” Nina Hoss and Adeel Akhtar, who play Ranevskaya and Lopakhin, have won praise for their performances. —Jeanne Malle