: The estate of a ruined widow is put up for auction. The merchant advises her to cut down the garden and lease the land. She is against - her youth passed in this garden. Then he redeems the estate and realizes his plan.

The names of the actions are conditional.

Action 1. Ranevskaya returns from France to the ruined estate

May, it began to grow dawn, it was still cold in the blooming cherry orchard. Lopakhin and the maid entered the room of the old estate.

Lopakhin came here to meet the landlady of the Ranevskaya estate, who had lived in France for five years.

Lopakhin was the son of a merchant in a village shop, a former serf. Feeling sympathetic, he began to remember how once a drunken father hit him and broke his nose in the blood, and Ranevskaya, who was present at the same time, helped him wash himself. Lopakhin became a successful merchant. He loved and respected Ranevskaya.

Finally, there was a knock of wheels, and Ranevskaya with her daughter Anya, brother Gaev, and other people entered the room.

On the estate of the owners met Varya, who had been managing the farm all this time.

Ranevskaya was happy to return home and felt her tears as she walked through the half-forgotten rooms.

Tired Anya told Vara how hard her mother lived in France. She had to sell a house on the Cote d'Azur and move to Paris, in an apartment building. It seemed as if Ranevskaya did not understand that she was completely ruined - she ordered the most expensive champagne, gave generous tips, and barely scratched her way home.

Anya asked if interest on the estate was paid. Varya replied that there is no money, and in August the estate will go under the hammer.

Lopakhin looked into the room and disappeared. Anya asked if he had made an offer to Vara, because all of them had long been considered the bride and groom. Varya sadly replied that Lopakhin was a busy man, he was not up to her. It was hard for Vara to see him, she dreamed of marrying Anya to a rich man and going to holy places.

Varya reported that Trofimov had arrived at the estate.

He was the teacher of the seven-year-old brother Ani, who drowned in the river a month after the death of his father. Ranevskaya had not yet been informed of his arrival — they did not want to aggravate the wounds.

Anya went to bed. Meanwhile, Lopakhin told Ranevskaya that the estate would be sold for debts on August 22, and proposed a way out - to cut down the cherry orchard, divide the land into plots and rent out to summer residents. Lopakhin swore that there would be a good income, and was ready to invest money, but Ranevskaya was against it - the old garden was too dear to her.

Lopakhin asked to think and left, and Ranevskaya and Gaev looked at the flowering garden for a long time, recalling their childhood.

All, all white! Oh my garden! After a dark rainy autumn and a cold winter, you are young again, full of happiness, the heavenly angels have not left you ...

Trofimov came in, called out to Ranevskaya, who barely recognized him, but then she hugged and cried, remembering her dead son. Trofimov grew old, peeling off, but still remained a student, for which he was often teased by Lopakhin.

Ranevskaya went to rest, and Gaev shared with Varya plans to save the estate. He hoped either to profitably marry Anya, or to take money from the rich aunt-countess.Once Ranevskaya married a simple judicial officer, my aunt did not approve of this marriage and stopped talking to her. Gaev condemned his sister not only because of unequal marriage, but also because of her vicious behavior after the death of her husband.

An awakened Anya scolded her uncle for these words. Gaev assured her that he would not allow the sale of the estate, and left. Varya led sleepy Anya to the bedroom. Trofimov who saw them affectionately called the girl his sun in the spring.

Action 2. Ranevskaya talks about her past, and her daughter Anya thinks about the future

Ranevskaya, Gayev and Lopakhin walked by the small abandoned chapel, which stood behind the cherry orchard. Lopakhin again began to persuade Ranevskaya to lease the garden. Ranevskaya did not answer. She went to town for dinner and again spent too much. And now she dropped her purse, gold coins scattered on the ground.

Gaev supported his sister, hoping for the help of a rich aunt. Lopakhin was angry at the frivolity of people who were about to lose everything, but did not want to change anything. In response to his persuasion and supplications, Ranevskaya replied that "cottages and summer residents - it went like that." Gaev agreed with her. Angry Lopakhin wanted to leave, but Ranevskaya restrained him - "it's more fun with you all the same."

Ranevskaya complained of bad feelings. It seemed to her that she had sinned too much and because of this her life would soon collapse. She always looted with money, after the death of her husband, she got along with one, then with another. Her first punishment, she considered the death of her son.

After that, she could not stay on the estate, she left for France with her last lover. He was sick for a long time, Ranevskaya nursed him. Then he tricked Ranevskaya - he fled to the other with all the money. Now he sends telegrams, writes that he is ill, begs to return.

Then the conversation went about Lopakhin, who called himself an uncouth dark man. Ranevskaya believed that he needed to marry Vara. Lopakhin was not opposed.

Gaev said that he was offered a position in the bank, but Ranevskaya was skeptical - her brother was not able to work, his old footman still looked after him like a child.

Trofimov, Anya and Varya appeared. Lopakhin immediately began to make fun of an eternal student. Trofimov did not remain in debt, calling the future millionaire Lopakhin a useful predator. Then the student and Ranevskaya continued yesterday’s conversation about a proud man. Trofimov believed that such people do not exist.

... a man is physiologically unimportant, if in his vast majority he is rude, unlucky, deeply unhappy. One must stop admiring oneself. You just have to work.

Trofimov believed that most of the Russian intelligentsia is not capable of work. They philosophize, and meanwhile the semi-literate people are buried in mud, vulgarity and Asiatic.

A passerby appeared and asked for alms. For lack of silver, Ranevskaya gave him gold. Vera rebuked her - there was nothing for hers, but she gave such a large sum to a stranger.

Everybody left. Trofimov and Anya were left alone. Varya watched him, afraid that they would love each other, but Trofimov considered himself above love. He encouraged Anya to give up everything, free herself from property and leave for a brighter future. All Ani's ancestors owned living souls, and this, according to Trofimov, gave birth to her and Ranevskaya, they no longer notice that they live at someone else's expense.

Trofimov invited Anya to leave with him and plant a new garden. Anya agreed.

Action 3. Ranevskaya throws a ball, and Lopakhin buys a cherry orchard

August 22, living room estates. Ranevskaya staged a ball, gathered neighbors and acquaintances. Bidding was due on that day, and Ranevskaya waited for Gayev with the news. The aunt-countess gave the money, and Ranevskaya hoped that they were enough to buy the estate.

Trofimov began to tease Varia "Madame Lopakhina." Ranevskaya believed that the girl should marry the merchant, she was also not opposed, but Lopakhin had been pulling the proposal for two years.

Ranevskaya was worried, Trofimov tried to console her, saying that the cherry orchard was a thing of the past, but she believed that he did not manage to “overshadow” and did not understand how much the old estate meant to her:

... without a cherry orchard, I don’t understand my life, and if you really need to sell it, then sell me along with the orchard.

Ranevskaya said that she was not against giving her Anya to Trofimov, but for this he needed to finish studying. Then she showed the student a telegram - her lover got sick and calls her to Paris. Ranevskaya still loved him.

Trofimov called his lover a villain, a thief and a jerk. Ranevskaya was angry and said that Trofimov was “clean, funny eccentric, freak,” who didn’t know how to love, but then asked him for forgiveness and danced with him.

Lopakhin and Gaev returned from bidding. Gayev’s money was not enough, a certain gentleman interrupted his stake, but Lopakhin set even more and bought the estate, not wanting it to go to an outsider.

I bought a property where my grandfather and father were slaves, where they were not even allowed into the kitchen. I sleep, it only seems to me, it only seems ...

Varya took the keys to the estate from her belt, threw them to the floor and left. The stunned Ranevskaya cried. Anya began to console her mother, she called her with her, promising to "plant a new garden, more luxurious than this."

Action 4. The owners leave the sold estate, they begin to cut down the cherry orchard.

May again. The estate was empty, furniture, paintings, curtains disappeared, knots and suitcases in the corners. Ranevskaya was about to leave. Saying goodbye to the men, she gave them her purse. She was escorted by Gayev, Lopakhin and Trofimov.

Trofimov was going to go to Moscow to continue his studies. Lopakhin tried to give him money for the trip, but he refused, considering himself a free man, able to do without someone else's help. Together with the rest of humanity, he goes “to a higher truth”, if he does not reach, he will show the way to others.

In parting, Trofimov advised Lopakhin to wave his arms less, because cutting down the cherry orchard is also an extra scope.

Gaev intends to stay, he "took a place in the bank." Ranevskaya will go to Paris, where she will live on the money sent by her aunt-countess. Enough of them for a short while, and she will return to Russia, to Moscow, where Anya will be waiting for her. She decided to go to Moscow with Trofimov and enter the gymnasium. She is happy - a new life awaits her.

Ranevskaya was left with one concern - Varya. She tried to persuade Lopakhin to make her an offer, left them alone, but the merchant still did not dare to call the girl in marriage. Vara had no choice but to go work as a housekeeper with her neighbors.

Ranevskaya and Gaev said goodbye to their home for a long time.

Oh my dear, my gentle, beautiful garden! .. My life, my youth, my happiness, goodbye! .. Goodbye! ..

Finally, everyone left and the “thud of an ax on a tree” was heard - it began to cut down the cherry orchard. In a deserted house, a sick old man remained - a footman Gayev, whom everyone had forgotten about.