The Seagull is Chekhov’s masterpiece and very much a defining text in all of theatre. I have seen at least three professional productions before this one by Long Cloud and none of them hold a candle to this brilliant production. While some of the performances may be on the shaky side of okay, the sheer trust of the text and unparalleled pleasure/pressure in the expression of emotion is breathtaking. This production is not just a triumph on the terms of youth theatre but of all theatre. Special mention must be given to Ingrid Saker whose performance of Nina is a recursive circle of genius and one of my favourite performances of the year. In a week where I saw six plays basically back-to-back, this easily stood out as the highlight. Brilliant.
The Seagull
Wri. Anton Chekhov (Adapted by Tom
Stoppard)
Dir. Willem Wassenaar
at WPAC