The Seagull review, Festival Theatre, Chichester

The greatest translators of written work must themselves be great writers because each language has its own rhythms, rhymes, and terms of reference and a text has to be reframed within them without losing any of the original intention. David Hare's 'new versions' of the early Chekhov plays (Platonov, Ivanov, The Seagull) bounce along under Jonathan Kent's direction, and some of the discussions feel very contemporary. Are they Chekhov's original thoughts reworked, or are they a complete revisioning by Hare? In The Seagull there is a long discussion between the celebrated writer Boris Trigorin and the young actress, Nina, about creativity and the process of writing. Whichever playwright is at work here, it's illuminating.

Trigorin is at the lakeside home of his partner, the great actress, Irina Arkadina. She can't keep her hands off him. That attention increases when she spots Nina, who lives on the other side of the water, has fallen under his spell. Busy guarding her prize, Irina barely notices her son, Konstantin, an unsuccessful writer who had just started a relationship with Nina. One day while courting the young actress, Konstantin kills a seagull and presents it to her. Chancing upon the scene, Trigorin is inspired. He has an idea for a story, he tells her. It will be about a beautiful young girl who crosses a lake like a seagull - free to fly wherever she wants until, like the dead bird, her wings are clipped by a man...

There are a couple of cracking star turns in The Seagull. Anna Chancellor dominates the stage as Irina. Her costumes - including a shimmering silver two piece and a striking red frock - are terrific. Sam West as Trigorin is ever understated. They're a compelling couple. In each of the three plays, Olivia Vinall is cast as the young love interest. She's excellent, but if you're watching all three in a day, the characters start to blur. Joshua James is moving as the serially thwarted Konstantin.

In conclusion: There are no laughs in The Seagull, but Jonathan Kent's light touch direction ensures that the bleak nature of the play is not reflected in its taut presentation. Set on the cusp of change in pre-revolution Russia, the emphasis in the play shifts from borrowing money to earning it.  Unrequited and unfulfilled love, however, remains at the heart of matters.    

References

The Seagull, Chichester Festival Theatre, Tickets

Chichester Festival Theatre, Oaklands Park, Chichester.  Run ends Nov 14