Three Sisters

Outside, in the Prozorovs’ garden, Fedotik and Rode are saying goodbye to Irina, Tusenbach, and Kulygin. Upstage, Andrey pushes a baby carriage. The military brigade is relocating to Poland. Irina and Fedotik disagree on whether they will see each other again, but Fedotik asserts that even if they do, they won’t be the same people and they won’t know each other. Fedotik snaps a photo. They leave, and Chebutykin complains that they didn’t say goodbye to him even though he is being shipped off to Poland tomorrow. Chebutykin expects to serve one more year before being discharged with a pension. He plans to return and retire here as a changed man—respectable and quiet.

Kulygin and Irina question Chebutykin about an incident in town yesterday that involved Solyony and Tusenbach. Deflecting, Tusenbach exits. They push Chebutykin to confirm if they were fighting because they are both in love with Irina, but the doctor demurs. Irina, who is to marry Tusenbach tomorrow, has taken the exam to become a teacher and will be moving with her new husband to a school, where she has just been hired. Chebutykin expresses happiness for her even as she leaves him behind. Kulygin talks about his love for Masha and how lucky he feels.