Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the opening night of Chekhov Collective‘s The Seagull. The play is set in the Russian countryside during the 19th century. It depicts the romantic and artistic conflicts between four main characters; the famous middlebrow story writer Boris Trigorin (Patrick Garrow), the ingenue Nina (Nicole Wilson), the fading actress Irina Arkadina (Rena Polley), and her son the symbolist playwright Konstantin Tréplev (Riley Gilchrist). A beautiful summer night begins a tangle of emotional intrigues, unrequited love, dreams, family quarrels, and the steady thrum of time passing. 

Sitting through the play, I found myself thinking of these various themes and also some questions. Throughout it, I began to wonder “What makes something a ‘rea’ piece of art? Is an abstract piece not ‘real’ because it doesn’t always follow a method or guidelines? And why do we often struggle to view another’s point of view?” Needless to say, The Seagull brings up plenty to think about during it, and afterwards.

As a ‘collective’, the cast certainly captures the essence of the Chekhov Technique — that of creating an inner event and use that to convey the emotions that tie themselves to the context played out. This is evident in the way the many relationships play out on-stage. It also plays out in how each individual character interacts with the others, and with us, the audience. 

Konstantine “thinks in images.” He rejects the standard notion of writing and theatre for his time. He essentially questions the status quo and this upsets his mother, Arkadina, an established theatre actress. This disconnect plays a major toll in this relationship. But Konstantine and Arkadina are only not the only ones struggling in this story. Everyone seems to have underlying issues they are trying to deal, or perhaps not deal, with. 

Two male characters, I personally liked Pjotr Nikolayevich Sorin (Greg Ellwand) and Dr. Dorn (Sean Sullivan). They are both funny, and quite observant. They understand others’ personalities and behaviours, more than most. As far as the women, they all excel. But it was Masha (Llyandra Jones), whose depressive personality and dark humour, stood out the most for me. What I enjoyed most was how the collective interacted with one another. They were believable as each of their characters. This is most likely due to their immersive approach, in preparing for this show. 

From a technical point, The Seagull has a very strong group of designers. The set, sound, and lighting designs echo the various moods of the play. Costumes by Joyce Gunhouse and Judy Cornish of Canadian label Comrags are also outstanding. But perhaps too perfectly so, especially because at times I found myself distracted by a lovely dress or suit, instead of paying more attention to the acting. Nonetheless, this is not a negative for the show whatsoever.

As a whole, The Seagull flows well, through upbeat moments well into its darker undertones. It begins with some comedic parts. It then proceeds with a sense of tension, almost suffocating, all the way to the end. It is not an easy play to sit through, if one is looking for a lighter type of show. But if one appreciates layers of emotional complexity, The Seagull does not disappoint. Chekhov’s words make one question how ideals can influence people’s lives and their behaviour. It clearly depicts how oftentimes dreams are just that, dreams… A sense of loss. And everyone of us can relate to this sense of loss; of times past. A definite recommendation.