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Perfecting the Russian accent is just part of the challenge for Unitec's third year acting students as they prepare to take Anton Chekhov's Three Sisters to the stage in June.

Director Elena Stejko, who is Russian, says the student cast have worked hard during the rehearsals and responded to the challenges of bringing the Three Sisters to life.

"Chekhov's character's thoughts and feelings are often expressed not through the lines that they speak, but through the pauses, between the lines or in a single word reply. With Chekhov's innovative writing, the notion of subtext was born," she explains.

"You cannot act Chekhov's characters - you have to feel them, radiate their essence through your intangible means of expression, to be guided by your own human spirit. That is the only way to enter Chekhov's world."

Stejko says she is impressed at the versatility of Unitec's acting students and credits that to their cultural diversity and a commitment to their art.

Written by Russia's most famous playwright at a critical time of transformation in Russia at the turn of the 20^th century, Three Sisters explores the decay of the privileged class and the spiritual evolution that the Prosorov sisters; Olga, Masha and Irina endure in their position of isolation and loneliness.

The Three Sisters season is from 2-11 June at the Unitec Theatre, Mt Albert campus on Carrington Rd (Entry 1) in Auckland. More information at: http://www.iticket.co.nz/events/2011/jun/three-sisters/