Have you ever felt a pull in two completely different directions? That's the life of Simon Stone, a globally acclaimed theatre and filmmaker who could have easily been a scientist back in Melbourne. But fate, and perhaps a little bit of restlessness, had other plans. In a recent interview, Stone opens up about his journey, revealing a career punctuated by family tragedy, bold artistic choices, and the surprising joy of staging Chekhov in Korean – a feat he calls "one of the proudest moments in my career."
Stone, now 41, speaks with a youthful energy that belies his extensive resume. He spent eight years in Vienna before relocating to London three years ago, just before his production of "Das Ferienhaus" ("The Holiday Home"), a play exploring generational trauma, hit the stage. It has been a whirlwind of success. September saw the premiere of his third feature film, the Netflix murder mystery "The Woman in Cabin 10," starring Keira Knightley. And right before that, he directed Alicia Vikander in his adaptation of Ibsen’s "The Lady from the Sea." Next up? "Elsinore," starring Andrew Scott and Olivia Colman, which delves into the story of Scottish actor Ian Charleson’s struggles with playing Hamlet. And if that wasn’t enough, he’s also premiering an adaptation of Chekhov’s "Ivanov" with Chris Pine in the lead role this July.
But here's where it gets truly fascinating. Amid this star-studded schedule, Stone is returning to Australia to direct his adaptation of Chekhov’s "The Cherry Orchard" at the Adelaide Festival. The catch? It's staged entirely in Korean, with subtitles. Yes, you read that right. Korean Chekhov. "It’s one of the proudest moments of my career," he repeats, emphasizing his personal connection to this unique production. Stone explains that, while Australia offers a high quality of life, he finds Europe more conducive to his artistic pursuits. He feels that Australians might not fully appreciate the confrontational nature of theatre, preferring a more casual engagement with culture. Stone thrives in environments where audiences are "culture obsessives," eager to delve deep into his work.
And this is the part most people miss: Stone’s path wasn't always set on the stage. He considered following in his parents’ footsteps – his father, Stuart, was a biochemist and molecular biologist, and his mother, Eleanor Mackie, was a veterinary scientist turned teacher. At 12, he even dreamed of becoming a marine biologist. However, tragedy struck in 1996 when his father passed away from a heart attack while swimming. This profound loss ignited a passion for art, film, and literature, driving him to explore how different cultures grapple with mortality. It might also explain his relentless drive to create a vast body of work, a race against the clock fueled by the awareness of life's fragility.
After the interview, the interviewer shared a dedication to Stone's father, written by a colleague, which resonated deeply with Stone. The dedication described Stuart's scientific approach as meticulous and detail-oriented, building from small specifics to the big picture. Stone immediately connected with this description, admitting that he often frustrates his collaborators by not having all the answers upfront, preferring to discover the story organically.
Born in Switzerland and raised bilingual in German and English, Stone often radically reworks classic texts in his plays. He's known for his distinctive staging, often using transparent boxes to enclose actors on stage. Take, for example, his adaptation of Ibsen’s "The Wild Duck,” where actors performed behind glass walls with radio microphones. This production, which premiered in Sydney in 2011, became his international breakthrough, leading to stagings in Norway, Austria, and London, and eventually serving as the basis for his 2015 feature film debut, "The Daughter." He employed a similar technique in his adaptation of Lorca’s "Yerma," winning Olivier awards for best revival and best actress for Billie Piper. More recently, his opera "Innocence" featured a two-story revolving transparent box, offering a voyeuristic glimpse into a school shooting and related events.
Stone explains that the glass wall serves a crucial purpose: it addresses what he sees as the inherent vanity of actors. By placing a barrier between the performers and the audience, he aims to create a more realistic and immersive experience. The actors, no longer directly acknowledging the audience, become less self-conscious and more focused on the story. This unconventional approach, Stone believes, enhances both the realism and the comedy of his productions.
Stone’s adaptation of "The Cherry Orchard," which premiered in Seoul in 2024, is set inside a house with floor-to-ceiling windows, offering a glimpse into a contemporary family grappling with societal changes, much like Chekhov's original aristocratic Russian family. Starring Cannes best actress winner Jeon Do-yeon and Emmy-nominated Park Hae-soo, this unique production is a testament to Stone’s fascination with Korean culture. He describes himself as "obsessed with Korean culture" and its "embrace of peculiarity and weirdness and extroversion suddenly flipping to introversion." He proactively approached the theatre company, surprising them with his eagerness to work in Korea for less pay.
Back in London, Stone speaks German with his wife, the Austrian dramaturg Stefanie Hackl, and their three-year-old daughter is growing up bilingual. He doesn’t know Korean grammar, but recognizes words easily and understands the nuances of emphasis in the Korean translation of his English script for "The Cherry Orchard."
But here's where it gets controversial... Would a joke written for a Western audience translate effectively to a Korean audience? Stone acknowledges the challenge but notes that many of his English gags did indeed resonate with the Seoul audience. "There is something particularly satisfying about hearing 1,000 people in Seoul laugh at a joke you wrote in English in a kitchen in Vienna," he says.
So, what do you think? Can art truly transcend cultural boundaries? And does Stone's unconventional approach to theatre – the glass walls, the Korean Chekhov – push the boundaries of storytelling, or does it risk alienating audiences? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
"The Cherry Orchard" runs from February 27 to March 1 at the Festival Theatre as part of the Adelaide Festival.
