I was dubious about an open-air production in Edinburgh. Nobody wants to be cold and disgruntled watching a full length production of a naturalistic play in the rain. There was, however, something quite comforting about The Cherry Orchard. I don’t know if it was the fact the audience were all snuggled up in blankets, swigging from smuggled bottles of wine, or if it was the tea and biscuits at the interval. Or, possibly, the fact it didn’t rain. Whatever it was, the atmosphere was welcoming and reassuring on what threatened to be a gloomy night.This summarises the production itself. A new adaption yes, but the old world of theatre. It has a taunting ‘this is how Chekhov should be staged’ quality about it. Very serious characters always addressing the audience with their cares rather than people on stage, with oh-so-perfect diction. This was frustrating, as the performances became very presentational, and a little old hat. But having said that, there was conviction in the performances of the veteran actors, which compensated for the poor staging. Corrine Harris’ portrayal of Madame Ranevskaya is very gestural and more reminiscent of a heroine in a Greek tragedy, rather than Chekhov’s naturalism. But the tears in her eyes are genuine and you feel her passion. John McColl’s portrayal of Lopahin is touching, and you feel he fully comprehends the struggle of his character. The younger members of the cast, in comparison, do seem to struggle. It may be that they too felt the production belonged to another world, before their time.The venue of Duddingston Kirk Manse Gardens is a fine choice for this production. Real lakes and trees, complete with swans, are a perfect backdrop for the production. Being surrounded by nature somewhat anchored the importance of The Cherry Orchard. It also succeeds in blowing off some cobwebs from the old fashioned staging.