Review: The Seagull @ The Nuffield Theatre

Having studied Anton Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard earlier this year, I was so excited to hear that The Seagull (one of his most famous works) is currently being shown at The Nuffield Theatre. 

From the first scene, I was sat on the edge of my chair and was throughout the rest of the play.

I tried to read The Seagull a few months ago and the classic literary text is quite difficult to comprehend as I did not really get the jist of what was going on, until last night. The way that the actors and actresses on stage performed it was absolutely incredible!

The language was so fluent and 'normal' if that is the right word to say... Chekhov being a Russian playwright, many would expect the linguistics to be quite tough to understand  but the way it was performed was marvelous and very comical.

©Tristram Kenton

Director Blance McIntyre did an phenomenal job of making the play come to life, by the actors continuously asking the audience what theatre is, what does it do, what is its role?

Through this, we were left with these questions running round our heads whilst the play went on to philosophise on what the human condition is.

"We are sleep walking into oblivion, we need to wake up"

©Tristram Kenton

The play centers itself around the act of passing time and lost time and encapsulates major themes of hope and despair.

For me, the 4 main roles of this play are concerned with a famous writer Boris Trigorin, Masha: a broken soul who would give anything to be loved, Nina: an aspiring actress and a frustrated abstract artist: Konstantin.

©Tristram Kenton

Each are a reflection of each other; what they want to be, who they used to be and what they wish they weren't. All the characters are put through the harsh reality's of life and are forced to face their brutal ending, with the particularly dark scene of Konstantin's death.

The co-production from Headlong Theatre and The Nuffield Theatre Company is an absolute must see. Even if you are not in to going to the theatre, this play will teach you about life and you will leave the theatre with a great sense of enlightenment.

The Seagull is showing at The Nuffield until Saturday 20th April. Click here to find out more details.

Jenny Lupton

Review: Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream (21 Mar)

Photo: Sell a door

I have always been a lover of Shakespeare. I was that kid in the classroom that secretly absolutely adored studying Romeo and Juliet amongst other of Shakespeare’s works. This affection then led onto studying a degree in English Literature and I am coincidentally currently studying Shakespeare in my second year.

With this passion for Shakespeare comes a deep feeling for sticking to traditions. I detest films, plays and any production that puts a 'modern twist' on something that was created centuries ago, especially if it involves Shakespeare. For example, I cannot stand Baz Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet, and the fact that directors are creating films out of Shakespeare's plays just seems absurd to me in the first place; Shakespeare wrote for the stage, not the screen.

However, in this instance, it was not the case. I chose to head over to Worthing today and catch A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This particular production that was put on at the Connaught Theatre, had a slightly contemporary twist to it, as the characters were wearing modern day clothing. Yet, thank God they kept to the script; when directors change Shakespeare's language, there is more or less no point staging the play. 

Photo: Sell a door

A Midsummer Night's Dream has always been so enchanting to me; from when I first picked it up, I am constantly drawn back to it and during this performance, I felt that same feeling as when I first read it. The actors and actresses on stage invited the audience into magical being of the play, through their notable ability to transform themselves into every character they played; all of them doubling up roles.

The company that staged this production was the 'Sell A Door' theatre company and as quoted in The Scotsman:“Sell a Door has gained a reputation as one of the liveliest theatre companies in the UK”, shows just how dynamic and energetic the actors and actresses were.

To find more productions from this company head to: Sell A Door. 

Click here to find out what's being staged at the Worthing Theatre's.

Jenny Lupton
Fashion/Literature Co-Editor