Difficult People, a one act play adapted by Gerald P. Murphy from a Chekhov short story of the same title Characters: Ivan – Russian farmer Sonia – his wife Peter – his son, home from university (A kitchen in rural Russia, 100 years ago. Ivan, the father, takes his time washing his hands at a pail of water stage right while his son, Peter, and Ivan’s wife, Sonia, wait patiently at the dinner table, center stage. The sound of rain can be heard outside the house. Peter and Sonia are dressed poorly, and Ivan doesn’t look much better, although they are certainly not poor. Ivan, as usual, is in a foul mood as he looks out the window stage right. Mood music of cello playing in the background is optional.)